Have you ever felt like you’re going through the motions in your faith? Like there’s something more to this relationship with Jesus, but you can’t quite grasp it? You’re not alone. Every believer faces seasons where we wonder if we’re truly growing or just standing still.
The beautiful truth is this: God doesn’t want you stuck. He wants you thriving, growing, and becoming more like His Son every single day. Spiritual growth with Jesus isn’t about perfection—it’s about progress. It’s about taking one step closer to Him today than you were yesterday.
Let me share something that changed my perspective completely. Growth isn’t always loud or dramatic. Sometimes it’s quiet, happening beneath the surface where only God can see. Just like a seed buried in soil, the most important growth often happens in the hidden places of our hearts.
What Does Spiritual Growth With Jesus Really Mean?
When we talk about spiritual growth, we’re talking about becoming more like Christ. It’s that simple, yet that profound. The Apostle Peter captures this perfectly when he writes, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).
Spiritual growth is a journey of transformation. It’s about allowing Jesus to reshape our thoughts, redirect our desires, and refine our character. It’s moving from spiritual infancy to maturity, from merely knowing about Jesus to truly knowing Him intimately.
Think of it like learning to walk. When you first came to faith, you were like a toddler—wobbly, uncertain, needing constant guidance. But God doesn’t want you to stay there. He invites you into a deeper, richer relationship where you learn to walk confidently by His side, trust His voice, and reflect His love to everyone around you.
The writer of Hebrews challenges us with these words: “Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity” (Hebrews 6:1). God has so much more for you than spiritual milk. He’s prepared a feast, and He’s calling you to the table.
Why Growing Closer to God Changes Everything
Here’s what I’ve learned through years of walking with Jesus: spiritual growth isn’t optional. It’s essential. Not because God demands it, but because He designed us for it. We were created for connection, transformation, and purpose.
When you prioritize spiritual growth, everything changes. Your perspective shifts. Problems that once overwhelmed you become opportunities to see God work. Relationships improve because you’re learning to love like Jesus loves. Peace replaces anxiety because you’re rooted in something unshakeable.
Paul reminds us, “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness” (Colossians 2:6-7). Notice that word—continue. Faith isn’t a one-time decision. It’s a daily choice to stay connected, to keep growing, to remain rooted in Christ.
Growing spiritually also equips you for the challenges life throws your way. When storms come—and they will come—you won’t be swept away. Instead, you’ll stand firm because your roots run deep into the soil of God’s truth and love.
The Foundation: Abiding in Jesus Daily
Jesus gave us the perfect picture of spiritual growth in John 15:5: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
Did you catch that? Apart from Jesus, we can do nothing. Not some things. Not a few things. Nothing. This isn’t meant to discourage us—it’s meant to free us. We don’t have to manufacture spiritual growth through our own effort. We simply need to stay connected to Jesus, and He produces the fruit.
Abiding means remaining. Staying close. Making your home in Him. It’s about maintaining constant connection through prayer, worship, and simply being aware of His presence throughout your day. When you abide in Christ, growth isn’t forced—it’s natural. It flows from the relationship.
Think about a branch on a vine. It doesn’t strain and stress, trying to produce grapes. It simply stays attached, drawing nourishment from the vine, and fruit appears naturally. That’s how spiritual growth works. Your job is to stay connected. God’s job is to make you grow.
Seven Practical Keys to Spiritual Growth With Jesus
1. Cultivate a Consistent Prayer Life
Prayer is your lifeline to God. It’s not about fancy words or perfect phrases—it’s about honest conversation with your Creator. Jesus modeled this for us throughout His ministry. Before every major decision, He withdrew to pray. When life got overwhelming, He sought His Father’s presence.
Start simple. Begin your day talking to God before you check your phone. End your night reflecting on His goodness. Throughout your day, turn your thoughts into prayers. “Lord, help me handle this meeting with grace.” “Thank You for this beautiful sunset.” “Please give me patience with my kids.”
The Psalms teach us that God wants our honest prayers. David prayed with joy, anger, fear, and gratitude. He held nothing back. Neither should you. God already knows what you’re thinking and feeling. Prayer is your invitation to bring it all before Him and watch Him work.
2. Immerse Yourself in God’s Word
The Bible isn’t just a book—it’s living, active, and sharper than any double-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12). When you read Scripture, you’re not just learning information. You’re encountering the very voice of God speaking into your life.
Peter writes, “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation” (1 Peter 2:2). Just as babies need milk to grow physically, we need God’s Word to grow spiritually. It nourishes our souls, corrects our thinking, and points us toward truth.
Make Bible reading a non-negotiable part of your day. Start with a few verses each morning. Use a study Bible or devotional to help you understand what you’re reading. Ask yourself three questions: What does this passage teach me about God? What does it reveal about myself? What should I do in response?
Don’t just read to check a box. Read to meet with God. Meditate on what you’ve read throughout your day. Let His words sink deep into your heart and mind.
3. Embrace Christian Community
You were never meant to grow alone. God designed the church—not the building, but the people—to be your spiritual family. Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another.”
Find a church where God’s Word is taught faithfully. Join a small group or Bible study. Seek out friendships with people who will encourage your faith, challenge your growth, and pray for you when life gets hard.
Here’s the thing about Christian community: it keeps you honest. When you’re tempted to skip prayer, a friend might ask, “How’s your quiet time going?” When you’re struggling with sin, a trusted brother or sister can speak truth in love. When you’re discouraged, your church family reminds you of God’s faithfulness.
Iron sharpens iron, and we need each other to stay sharp spiritually.
4. Practice Obedience to God’s Word
James hits us with a hard truth: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22). Knowledge without obedience isn’t spiritual growth—it’s spiritual pride.
Real growth happens when you take what you’ve learned and actually live it out. When Scripture says to forgive, you forgive—even when it’s hard. When it calls you to give generously, you give. When it commands you to love your enemies, you choose love over bitterness.
Obedience isn’t always easy, but it’s always worth it. Every time you choose God’s way over your own, you’re building spiritual muscle. You’re training yourself to trust Him more. And trust leads to transformation.
Start small. If God highlights something in His Word, don’t wait. Take action that very day. Obedience delayed is obedience denied. The more you practice following God’s commands, the more natural it becomes.
5. Serve Others With a Heart of Love
Jesus didn’t come to be served—He came to serve (Matthew 20:28). And as His followers, we’re called to do the same. One of the most powerful ways to grow spiritually is to look beyond yourself and meet the needs of others.
Serving shifts your focus from your problems to God’s purposes. It opens your eyes to the beauty of giving without expecting anything in return. Whether you’re volunteering at church, helping a neighbor, mentoring someone younger in faith, or simply offering a listening ear, service makes you more like Jesus.
Paul writes, “Serve one another humbly in love” (Galatians 5:13). Notice that word—humbly. Service isn’t about recognition or applause. It’s about quietly, faithfully doing what needs to be done because you love God and love people.
Find ways to use your gifts to bless others. Your spiritual growth accelerates when you stop living for yourself and start living for God’s kingdom.
6. Navigate Trials With Faith and Patience
Nobody likes hard times, but here’s a truth that might surprise you: some of your greatest spiritual growth happens during your darkest seasons. James 1:2-4 tells us, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of various kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
Trials have a way of revealing what’s really in our hearts. They expose areas where our faith is weak and show us where we need to trust God more deeply. When everything is going well, it’s easy to coast spiritually. But when life gets hard, you’re forced to either cling to God or drift away.
Choose to cling. When trials come, don’t run from God—run to Him. Cry out in prayer. Search His Word for comfort and strength. Lean on your Christian community. Trust that God is using this painful season to refine you, strengthen you, and draw you closer to Him.
The growth that happens in the fire is the growth that lasts.
7. Cultivate a Heart of Gratitude
Gratitude changes everything. When you choose to thank God even in difficult circumstances, your perspective shifts. You begin to see His hand at work in ways you missed before. Blessings you took for granted suddenly become reasons to worship.
Paul writes, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Not give thanks for all circumstances—but in them. Even when life is hard, you can thank God for His presence, His promises, and His faithfulness.
Start a gratitude journal. Each day, write down three things you’re thankful for. Some days it might be big things—answered prayers, breakthrough moments. Other days it might be small—a warm cup of coffee, a friend’s text, the sun breaking through clouds.
Gratitude roots you in reality: God is good, God is faithful, and God is with you. That awareness fuels your spiritual growth in powerful ways.
Key Bible Verses About Spiritual Growth
God’s Word is filled with encouragement and instruction for our spiritual journey. Here are some foundational verses to memorize and meditate on:
2 Peter 3:18 – “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.”
Philippians 1:6 – “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Colossians 1:9-10 – “For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.”
1 Corinthians 3:6-7 – “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.”
Ephesians 4:15 – “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.”
2 Peter 1:5-8 – “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Your Next Step in Spiritual Growth
Here’s the truth I want you to hold onto today: God isn’t finished with you. Philippians 1:6 promises that He who began a good work in you will complete it. Your spiritual growth isn’t dependent on your perfection—it’s dependent on His faithfulness.
You don’t have to have it all figured out. You don’t have to feel spiritually mature right now. You just need to take the next step. Open your Bible tomorrow morning. Spend five minutes in prayer. Reach out to a Christian friend. Choose obedience in one small area where you’ve been resisting.
Spiritual growth happens one decision at a time, one day at a time. And every single step you take toward Jesus is a step worth celebrating.
Remember, you’re not growing for God—you’re growing with God. He’s not standing at the finish line waiting for you to arrive. He’s walking beside you, celebrating every bit of progress, picking you up when you fall, and constantly inviting you deeper into relationship with Him.
That’s the beauty of spiritual growth with Jesus. It’s not about achieving some impossible standard. It’s about falling more in love with the One who loves you perfectly, completely, and eternally.
So keep going. Keep seeking. Keep growing. The journey is worth it, and God is faithful to complete what He started in you.
Ready to go deeper? Start by choosing one practical key from this article and commit to it for the next 30 days. Watch how God meets you in your obedience and transforms your heart in ways you never imagined possible. Your spiritual growth journey begins with a single step—why not take it today?
