You're Growing More Than You Think | Before You Quit, Day 13
Have you ever wondered why you're not further along in your relationship with God?
You've been a Christian for years.
You know what the Bible teaches.
You've set spiritual goals.
You've tried to change.
But you're still struggling with some of the same weaknesses, habits, and temptations.
And you start asking yourself:
"Why am I not growing as I should?"
In Day 13 of Before You Quit: Hope for the Christian Who Feels Done, Rob Skinner addresses the discouragement that comes when our spiritual growth doesn't match our expectations.
Rob loves setting goals. Whether it's health, fitness, spirituality, evangelism, or finances, he's always challenging himself to grow.
But he admits that most of the time, he doesn't reach those goals by the deadlines he sets.
Even after decades of following Jesus, Rob sometimes feels he should be much further along spiritually.
He once set a goal to imitate the Apostle Paul as Paul imitated Christ. He was also inspired by Gandhi's discipline and self-denial.
Yet he still feels far from those examples.
If you've ever felt disappointed by your spiritual progress, you're not alone.
1. Spiritual Growth Isn't Linear
When we first become Christians, some changes happen quickly.
But the deeper work of transformation—what Christians call sanctification—often takes much longer.
We experience seasons of progress.
Then setbacks.
Sometimes we slip into old habits or struggle with things we thought we'd overcome.
That doesn't automatically mean you're a bad Christian.
Growth doesn't happen in a perfectly straight line.
A setback doesn't erase every step forward.
2. Some Growth Happens Beneath the Surface
Rob describes looking out his Boston apartment window during a bitterly cold winter.
Snow covered Boston Common.
The trees were bare.
Everything looked lifeless.
But beneath the frozen ground, something was still happening.
Roots were expanding.
Sap was slowly rising.
Seeds were preparing for spring.
The growth was real, even though nobody could see it.
Our spiritual lives can be the same way.
Sometimes we feel like nothing is changing.
But God may be working beneath the surface, developing qualities and preparing growth that won't become visible until later.
Rob offers this reminder:
"If you quit before the snow melts, you'll never see the progress made over the winter."
Don't mistake a difficult season for a wasted season.
3. Stop Beating Yourself Up
Another obstacle to growth is the way we judge ourselves.
"Why am I not further along?"
"What's wrong with me?"
"If I were really a Christian, I wouldn't still struggle with this."
Rob reminds us of Paul's words:
"I do not even judge myself." — 1 Corinthians 4:3
Constant guilt, shame, and self-condemnation don't produce the spiritual progress we want.
You can take responsibility for your growth without continually attacking yourself.
Beating yourself up isn't your job.
4. Adjust Your Expectations
God knows we're imperfect.
He knows our weaknesses.
He knows the work of changing imperfect people takes time.
That doesn't mean we stop trying or stop taking responsibility.
It means we recognize that lasting transformation may take longer than we expected.
Instead of measuring your entire Christian life against an impossible deadline, focus on the next faithful step.
5. Keep Taking One Step at a Time
Rob shares a lesson he learned while hiking in the mountains near Tucson, Arizona.
Looking up at a massive rock formation near Mount Lemmon, the climb seemed overwhelming.
But instead of focusing on how far he had to go, Rob put his head down and walked.
Five minutes.
Ten minutes.
One step at a time.
Whenever he looked up, he was surprised by how much progress he'd made.
The same principle applies to our relationship with God.
You don't have to become the Christian you hope to be overnight.
You have to keep moving forward.
Keep praying.
Keep learning.
Keep repenting.
Keep growing.
And don't give up because you haven't reached the summit yet.
Before You Quit, Remember This
You may be doing better than you think.
Your growth may be happening where you can't see it.
Your setbacks don't necessarily erase your progress.
And the slow pace of transformation doesn't mean God has stopped working.
Rob reminds us:
"You'll never see growth if you pull yourself out by the roots."
So hang in there.
Go easy on yourself.
Adjust your expectations.
And keep taking one step at a time.
This is Day 13 of Rob Skinner's Before You Quit: Hope for the Christian Who Feels Done, a series written to encourage Christians who feel discouraged, spiritually stuck, or tempted to walk away.
If you know someone who's frustrated by their lack of spiritual progress, share this episode with them.
Learn more about Rob Skinner and his books at RobSkinner.com.
