On my many trips to the outdoors this week (you can't go anywhere else), I noticed that my daffodils were starting to sprout. That's one thing I love about perennials - even though they've died off in the fall, they will grow new again each spring. They are a beautiful visual of God's seasonal purposes and the value of a long winter's rest. This whole coronavirus situation has got me thinking about growth. There are lots of different kinds of growth. Some growth is cyclical like my daffodils, hyacinths and brown eyed susans. Death and rebirth reoccur regularly throughout the cycle of each plant's life. Sometimes it feels like that in my spiritual life too. I go through spiritually dry seasons where reading the Bible is a laborious task and nothing seems to awaken my soul. And then I find myself thirsting for the Word, finding new insights daily, hearing God's voice on a regular basis as I seek Him each morning.
On the other hand, we see some growth on a more linear path. My little puppy will grow a few pounds each week and this tiny sprout will (hopefully) grow a few centimeters each week as long as I water it regularly. This is what I think we imagine growth is like - predictable, following a pattern, steadily progressing towards a goal. But it isn't often that obvious in our spiritual lives. We grow in spurts and we circle back to areas we haven't surrendered fully to God, we wander through deserts and climb the mountains. We sometimes grow exponentially, like when we first come to know Christ, and other times we can't see any growth because it's all happening beneath the surface. Growth isn't always easily explained by a mathematical curve. 
The coronavirus is growing exponentially (well it's more complicated than that, but basically it went from 2 people in Wisconsin a month ago to 3,213 today, which can be explained by an exponential growth model). At the beginning it was doubling every couple of days and this alarming rate of growth had us thinking of how to stop it, like putting out a forest fire that starting with a spark but keeps burning until it has scorched everything in it's path. To put out forest fires, we set up controlled burns to consume all of the possible fuel in the path of the fire. We set up a barrier to distance the fire from the nearby towns and contain the damage. With COVID-19, we've distanced ourselves from the virus to prevent the spread and we're all hoping for some immunity whether it comes from exposure to the virus that doesn't harm us (herd immunity) or a controlled plan like an immunization. For us spiritually we can become immunized to God's Word too - we've heard it so much that we glaze over and the truth doesn't penetrate our souls. Or maybe we are distancing ourselves from the truth - we don't open our Bibles, or spend time with believers and we aren't interested in attending church. Whether we call ourselves Christians or not, we can all fall into the follow traps that will stagnate spiritual growth in our lives:
Luke 8:4-15
- The seeds that fall on a hard path and are eaten up by birds: Our souls are like worn pathways trampled by so many activities, interests and busyness that we aren't receptive to the truth.
- The seeds on rocky ground with no moisture: We have hardened our hearts to the truth and the Living Water is not present in our lives to nurture growth.
- The seeds that fell among thorns that choke out growth: The interests of the world, the allure of sin, the pursuit of materialism distract us from God.
Or, we can have a heart of soil that is prepared for growth:
"15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop."
When we listen to God, when we follow His Words, we will continue to grow spiritually. What kind of growth are you experiencing right now?
Comments