Monday Memo 1236: Growth
“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.” — Ephesians 4:15
Spiritual and personal growth are not automatic—they are intentional. Growth is God’s gracious gift, but it requires your cooperation. Purpose isn't just about doing what you were born to do; it’s also about becoming who you were created to be. Every season of your life is designed to bring you closer to Christ and shape you for greater fruitfulness.
Paul wrote that we ‘grow up into Christ,’ which means maturity is a process of alignment—your attitudes, reactions, and decisions becoming more like His. Growth doesn’t happen in a single prayer or a one-time experience; it happens through consistent surrender, reflection, and obedience. The more you grow in Him, the clearer your purpose becomes.
When I turned fifty, I thought I would do what I had learned to do up to that point and do it better than ever—and hopefully make some money doing it. I was surprised to find that my fifties were my greatest growth years. It may sound strange, but I learned how to think when I was fifty. I found my thinking was my greatest obstacle to God’s work in my life, and I had to “unlearn” things I thought had served me well up to that point. Then my sixties were my most productive years when I wrote 35 books and started my publishing company. Now in my seventies, I'm on a constant search-and-destroy mission every day to discover where my thinking is riddled with fear, anxiety, or doubt. I'm still growing.
Growth is often uncomfortable because it confronts what’s immature or incomplete in us. It exposes attitudes, habits, or fears that hinder progress. Many people pray for promotion but resist the pruning that prepares them for it. Jesus said, “Every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful” (John 15:2). Growth and pruning are two sides of the same process—both are gifts that produce lasting change.
Growth also requires community and teamwork. We grow best when we’re connected to others who challenge and encourage us, and who complement our creative purpose with theirs. Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” Isolation can feel safe, but it stunts maturity. You need people who love you enough to tell you the truth in love and who model what spiritual growth looks like in action. And the truth isn’t always negative; it’s also facing what you do well and where you are hesitant to be the fullest, best expression of who God made you to be.
It’s easy to celebrate visible growth—new opportunities, bigger platforms, more success—but the most significant growth often happens unseen. When you read a book during your leisure time, take the class that will equip you with needed knowledge or skills, or when you choose faith over fear—those quiet moments of growth are what make you strong enough to produce and carry visible fruit later.
So don’t resist the seasons that stretch you. The discomfort you feel may be the very proof that growth is happening. In fact, once you understand this process, you will look for opportunities that will take you out of your comfort zone so you can learn and grow. God never wastes a challenge; He uses every one to mature you for what’s next. The soil of growth is faithfulness, and the reward is fruitfulness. And I am of the age now where I can look back and honestly tell you, “It was all worth it to be where I am now.”
Reflection Questions
- How has God been using recent challenges or transitions to grow your character and faith?
- What area of your life is God calling you to “grow up” into greater maturity?
- Who in your life helps you stay accountable and encouraged as you grow?
Prayer
Lord, thank You for loving me enough to grow me. Help me embrace the seasons that stretch me and trust that You are shaping me for greater purpose. Give me humility to learn, courage to change, and grace to grow more like Jesus each day. Amen.
Application
This week, identify one area where you’ve been resisting growth—perhaps a habit, attitude, or new role God has been highlighting. Instead of avoiding it, face it with faith. Ask God to show you what He wants to develop in you through this season. Remember: growth is not punishment—it’s preparation.