Today’s Devotional: “Growing in Our Faith”

God has designed all life to grow. To Adam and Eve, He said, “Be fruitful and multiply.” (Genesis 1:28)

From the moment we were conceived, God designed us for growth. He designed us to grow physically, emotionally, mentally, socially, and spiritually. But our spiritual growth doesn’t begin at conception, as the others do; rather, it begins at conversion, that is, when we are born again. That’s because before this, we were dead in our trespasses and sins.

The Apostle Paul said, “Even when we were dead in trespasses, (God) made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved).” (Ephesians 2:5)

God is the primary agent of our spiritual growth. He is our source of life, yet we also have a responsibility. This dual aspect is seen in the Apostle Peter’s second letter.

First, we see that God has given us everything we will ever need to grow, both physically, as seen in the word ‘life,’ and spiritually, as seen in the word ‘godliness.’

“His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue.” (2 Peter 1:3)

While God has given us everything, including the faith to believe, we are told that we must add to that faith so that we can live a bountiful and fruitful life.

“But also, for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:5-8)

While Jesus makes it clear that we can do nothing apart from Him (John 15:5), we need to commit ourselves to growing in both our conduct and character.