10 QUESTIONS TO ASK TO YOURSELF

TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE STILL GROWING IN THE LORD

2 PETER 3:18

INTRODUCTION

There is a world of difference between activity and progress.

How can we know that we are growing in grace—that we are making real progress and not merely deceiving ourselves with activity?

It’s often hard to recognize spiritual advance over a week’s time or maybe even a month’s time.

The following 10 questions can help you discern whether you are maturing spiritually.

Use them to evaluate your life, especially the past six to 12 months.

1. Do you find that you hunger and thirst more for God than ever before?

(Psalm 42:1; Matthew 5:6)

2. Do you find that you are more and more loving? (1 John 4:7; John 13:34-35)

3. Do you find that you are more sensitive to and aware of God than ever before? (Romans 6:11)

4. Do you find yourself governed more and more by God’s Word? (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

5. Do you find that you are concerned more and more with the physical and spiritual needs of others? (James 2:14-16; 1 John 3:16-19)

6. Do you find that you are more and more concerned with the Church and the Kingdom of God? (Ephesians 5:25; John 15:1-8)

7. Do you find that the disciplines of the Christian life are more and more important to you? (1 Timothy 4:7b-8)

It’s a simple fact: Those who grow the most and the fastest are those who place themselves in the channels of grace such as the intake of God’s Word, prayer, worship, service, evangelism, silence, solitude, learning, fasting, and so on.

8. Do you find that you are more and more aware of your sin? (1 Timothy 1:15)

9. Do you find that you are more and more willing to forgive others? (Ephesians 4:32)

10. Do you find yourself thinking more and more of heaven and longing to be with the Lord Jesus in His kingdom? (Philippians 1:23-24)

CONCLUSION

Growth in grace happens intentionally, not automatically.

You can drift away from spiritual progress, but you never drift forward.

Without purpose and occasional evaluation, you’ll eventually find that, despite your activity, you’ve been carried away from Christlikeness.

But don’t be discouraged by slow spiritual development—as long as you are growing! Direction is more important than speed. The question isn’t always how quickly are you growing, but rather it is. . . "Are you growing?"

Are you more like Jesus than you were a year ago?