“We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food. Anyone who lives on milk, being still and infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. Therefore, let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity…” Hebrews 5:11-6:1
In the box that holds our Christmas decorations is a book of “Christmas Memories.” I think we got it as a Christmas present the first year we were married. There is a page to paste our Christmas card for that year and then lines to write some of the highlights of how we spent Christmas that year. This year is our twentieth year – eighteen with kids. Wow, have they grown.
Have you? Have you grown? I’m not talking physically. There are four stages of life you know… first you believe in Santa Claus – then you don’t believe in Santa Claus – then you ARE Santa Claus – then you start looking like Santa Claus!! Hah! I’m sure we’ve all grown a little physically.
But, when I ask- have you grown since last Christmas?- I mean have you spiritually grown? We ought not be in the same place spiritually we were last year at this time. We should be growing closer to God, growing in our understanding of Him, growing in key areas like faith, love, giving, and prayer. But, few do. Most remain spiritual babies (men especially).
Jesus didn’t stay a baby. The Bible says he “grew in wisdom and stature in favor with God and man.” I highly recommend everyone who reads this get in a small group this coming year with other believers and really commit to a course of spiritual growth and then walk that course out every day. If you don’t, next year this time you will still be struggling under the limitations of spiritual infancy. God wants you to grow and rise up in Him.
PRAYER: God, I repent for whining like a spiritual baby sometimes when things don’t go my way. I want to grow up in You. I’m hungry for solid food - I want grow in Wisdom. Ready me for a greater assignment. Stretch me so I can handle more and make fewer messes.
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I think I’ve actually grown since last Christmas and it really makes me want the “more” that God has for me. I don’t say that with pride in myself but I praise God for how He blesses us beyond what we could ask or imagine just for being obedient to him. Great idea with the Christmas pictures–a good tradition! Think I’ll pass it on to my kids.
I would like to say that I’m much more mature but have found myself this season needing to re-embrace some of the basics that His love is unconditional (God wants the credit!). I think what your family has done is a great way to sort of track progress and is also a good way of keeping us accountable to growth if we know we’re documenting it in a memory book. I also think that would be a great tradition to start with our still very young family. Thank you!
I have grown tremendously since last Christmas. This has been probably the most challenging year of my life in my walk with the Lord, but He has gotten me through everything. There were many times that I felt like I was not going to make it, but God’s grace and love sustained me, as well as prayer support. Praise the Lord! The challenges really stretched my faith and caused me to grow so much closer to the Lord. I learned to depend on Him so much. I just cannot get enough of Jesus and His awesome love and amazing ways!
That’s exactly been my prayer for awhile now, only sometimes I feel like a spiritual “brat”! And so often when that happens, my Heavenly Father does something really special for me, as He’s known to do, and that’s when He’s my ABBA!