Elements for Growth

Just as a plant needs sunlight, water, and soil to grow, we need elements to grow emotionally, relationally and spiritually. Grace invites us into relationship, tells us we are forgiven and accepted. Truth gives us structure and direction that tells us we have purpose and destiny. Time allows for growth so we can practice grace and process truth. Independently these elements are not sufficient for complete growth. When these elements work together, we can grow more fully into the image of God. 

God knows the real you, and loves you anyway. Grace forgives us of all our sins, saves us from eternal death, gives us an inheritance in heaven, makes us one with Christ, imparts His divine nature, gives us His Spirit, and blesses us with every spiritual blessing. We find acceptance from God because of what Jesus did on the cross: unmerited favor and forgiveness through salvation. Grace is much more than just being forgiven. Not only is grace is unconditional, unbroken, uninterrupted, and unearned love that accepts into relationship, but grace is God’s empowerment. We are saved and stay saved by grace and we can also live like Christ. Grace gives us the desire and the power to please God and live righteously. Grace is reflected and can be seen in the life of a believer.  God’s grace divinely influences the heart and the inward change from faith, transforms our outward behavior.

Truth is necessary for growing up in the image of God. Truth is structure and gives us guidance of how to live our lives. Truth brings awareness. It exposes us for what we really are. The heart is deceitful but truth reveals the motive behind the action, attitude, and feeling. Truth develops and cultivates maturity, discipline, responsibility and stability. Our tendency is to hide the “unsafe” parts of us that are undeveloped. As we passionately seek truth in our “inner being”, we learn to hate what He hates and loves what He loves. “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Grace sanctifies us and makes us Holy in the sight of God. But we are not to take God’s gift of grace for granted. While grace provides love and acceptance, grace without truth is license. “You my brothers were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature” (Galatians 5:13).  For truth to be accepted, we must first accept grace. The law points us to Jesus because He offers us the plan of redemption. If we do not allow God to live in our hearts, we cannot be changed into His image and in essence we become religious by obtaining only the knowledge of God. Truth without grace is legalism or the law. The law says: an eye for an eye. I will treat you the way you treat me. If you are loveable, I will love you. If you are not lovable, I will withdraw my love. The law is conditional and is based on performance rather than favor. Grace and truth are designed by God to work together. Our God is “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). If we are “being transformed into His likeness” (see 2 Corinthians 3:18) then we are taking on the character and nature of God. When we think like God and talk like Jesus, we are imitators of God and we will not live like non-believers of the world. Living in grace and truth is having the ability to walk in the power of God’s nature by proclaiming with words, the message of the Word of God.

Time is a necessary element for growing up in the image of God. When time is combined with God’s grace into relationship and truth for direction for our lives, we have all the elements to not only be healed but to grow (bear fruit). An infant, for example, cannot handle solid food until their digestive system has had time to develop. The concrete foundation of a house needs to harden before the frame can be added. How you live your life shows your character. We live in a culture that loves short cuts. Most often short cuts result in failure. “Easy come, easy go” as some would say. Satan offers quick get rich schemes; God offers the blessings of long-time faithfulness. Diet fads are tempting with quick weight loss, but such diets do not develop the long-term discipline needed to maintain weight loss. Drugs and alcohol offer relief from pain and suffering but do not build character and stability. Anything worth having takes energy or some type of cost. “We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised” (Hebrews 6:12). Growth comes with confession, forgiveness, and consistency. Deep growth and meaningful relationships come with much effort, over and over, and over again.

Believe it, think it, and say it: I believe the Word of God that I am perfectly loved, accepted, forgiven, blessed and set apart for His special purpose. Grace and truth is working in me. In His perfect timing, He will finish what He started. I live by the promises of God, and by the Holy Spirit strengthening me today, In Jesus’ name,  Amen.