Spiritual Growth

This chart has been on my desktop ever since I saw it for the first time. It depicts in very succinct fashion the cycle we go through in our spiritual journey. Right now you are in one of these four spiritual states. Unfortunately two of the states have as part of their description the word “unaware.” That is by far the most dangerous. The greatest problem of not knowing is that you don’t know. Let’s take a quick look at them.

1. Unaware and Uncommitted. I heard it said that there are three types of people in the world: those that make it happen, those that let it happen, and those that wonder what happened. This first group is worse than that. They are not even wondering what happened. Unaware. This is the state in which every human begins life. We are separated from God because of the sin-nature we inherited from Adam. We are certainly uncommitted because we do not even know there is a need for God in our life.

2. Unaware and Committed. Most people, in an effort to fit into their peer groups, begin to commit themselves to various things. Since they are still separated from God and don’t know it they begin to find fulfillment in social groups, political causes, activities (recreation, business, relationships, etc.), escape methods (drugs, alcohol, food, etc.), and some even commit themselves to spiritual pursuits (occult, new age, earth worship, etc.). All of this activity is simply an attempt to fill a void which they are not even fully aware exists.

3. Aware and Committed. Once the Holy Spirit begins to draw us toward Christ, we hear the Truth concerning Jesus and His love for us, we become Aware! When we respond to Him and allow the Love of Jesus to transform us, we become Committed. This is the state in which God desires for us to live our lives: fully aware of His Love, plans, and purpose, and fully committed to becoming like Jesus. It is in this state that we will experience the greatest peace, joy, happiness, contentment, fulfillment, excitement, and just about any other positive adjective or adverb you can imagine. This is living.

Sadly, there is a fourth state. Hebrews warns us of this place so that we can avoid ever entering into it.

4. Aware and Uncommitted. There is great debate and heated arguing that goes on between Believers about eternal security and “backsliding” (or falling away). I’ll leave that for the zealots and scholars. I do think, regardless of whether you become un-saved or not, there is a place that one can drift, usually unintentionally, where after being Aware and Committed, you become Aware and Uncommitted. You still know the Truth. You still know God and His love for you. You still know the plans and purpose that God has for you. But, you walk away, lay it down, let it fade, … or any number of other metaphors which imply a step back from the commitment you once had.

I honestly feel that Stage 1 is a better place to be than Stage 4. At least there you have the benefit of not knowing. You also have the potential for being enlightened and moving toward Stage 3 and fulfill your life in God. I alluded to this passage earlier, but look at these verses:

Hebrews 6:4-9 (ESV) For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.

For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.

Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation.

I do not share this to cause you to fear, or have doubts about your salvation. However, we need to remain sober and guard our hearts to prevent us from ever falling away from what God has done for us through Jesus. When you continue to seek Him more than you do any other thing there is little danger that you will fall away.

One of the best decisions Martha and I made to foster a healthy marriage relationship is the same advice I give to folks getting married. It is very simple, yet extremely profound at the same time. “If you never consider divorce an option, you will never get divorced.” Because I know that divorce is not an option it causes me to seek reconciliation. It causes me to put away pride. It creates an atmosphere for self-less living. I defer my desires to, instead, meet her needs.

How much more then, when we approach our relationship with God in a similar fashion, are overwhelmed by His lavish Love that He pours out to us. Let us purpose to live life Aware and Committed. We will find the best life available to us now, and in the one to come!