Stepping Stones: Stop Reading, Start Applying

Transformational Thought

As Christians we should constantly be striving to grow in Christ … to grow in our spiritual maturity. But how do you grow spiritually? We hear great sermons, read some good books, read the Word, but then what? What kind of strategy or disciplines can be practiced daily so you will actually grow and mature in your functioning, and not just build a great spiritual library in your head?

Unfortunately, many Christians believe the answer to growth is accumulating more spiritual knowledge. But real growth comes with the application of just a little knowledge. The first area of application needs to be getting to know and experience God. We should not confuse knowledge about Him with experientially knowing Him.

My wife is an outgoing, fun, generous, and caring person to hang out with and talk to. No matter how much I increase your knowledge of her by accurately describing her, even showing you home movies of her, you still wouldn’t experientially know her. Not until you actually spend time interacting with her in person, a number of times, actually sharing experiences with her, do you really start to get to know her.

Knowing Him is so much more than storing facts and commentaries about Him in your memory bank. You must to spend time with Him to know Him. That is the bottom line. It doesn’t happen any other way. Just ask a kid separated from a parent at a young age. They might have heard stories about that parent, but really knowing that parent only comes through direct interaction.

Today, begin the process of knowing your Lord by first trusting Him. When you are uncomfortable, alone, anxious, sad, overwhelmed, frustrated … trust His promises to you. Then you will experience Him acting in your life and will really get to know Him. You have to put yourself out there a bit, just as you do in a real human relationships, when you are really trying to experience someone. Rely on your trust in Him, His promises, His character, His teachings. You’ve accumulated that knowledge of Him, now apply and act on it. Continue to live and communicate as if He is in your life, because He is! No matter what is happening, trusting Him then drawing close to Him are excellent ways to experience Him. Your decision, choose well!

Prayer
Dear Father God, You are such an awesome God. Who but You could be everywhere at all times? I am humbled and amazed that someone as great as You cares about every detail of my life. Help me, Lord, to keep You always before me. Help me not just know facts about You, but to let me experience You intimately. When I feel needy, Lord, help me run to You and not to other gods and things that I have used to replace You, other things that only give me temporary relief … and many times makes things oh so much worse. I pray this in the name of the One who knew me long ago, and still died for me, Jesus; and all God’s children say – AMEN!

The Truth
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:16-19

He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:29-31