Are you having difficulty as a Christian to grow Spiritually in your relationship with God
or you are already on the way growing spiritually and seek for a more practical way to
improve your spiritual growth, considering the fact that spirituality is a very important
aspect in the life of a Christian..
According to 2 Peter 3:18, It is the will of God for you to grow spiritually: “grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
in other to grow spiritually, you have to spend more quality time with God, get to know Him more and obey his commands as written in the bible.
It is also important to note that your spiritual growth cannot and will not be attributed to only how long you spend reading the bible or a level of perfection even though they are indications of spiritual growth and characteristics that lays the part for you, if you ever want to grow spiritually.
So now, what are the 10 practical ways to grow spiritually every day, i mean ways that
can keep you focused, and closer to God that you can do each day to help you grow.
What Does It Mean to Grow Spiritually?
Spiritual growth is more than just being religious but is rather a continual inward change of one’s heart.
As your spiritual growth continues, your desires are brought into agreement with God’s will for your live, that is when you begin to manifest the nature of God.
An example of this transformation is found in the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” These characteristics are found in someone growing spiritually.
In addition, growing spiritually is about having a deeper relationship with God and
getting to know Him better through the knowledge of His Word, speaking with Him in
prayer, and trusting Him in all areas of your life.
The longer you are around God, the more you will start to think, behave and respond like Christ.
Spiritual growth is not an event that happens instantaneously; it takes time to mature
spiritually. Growth comes from your own consistent commitment and obedience to God
every day.
Although you may not see much progress some days, it does not mean that you haven’t been able to grow.
A plant continues to grow if it is nurtured consistently in the right way over the long term. Consequently, this is like the continual development of spiritual life when you remain faithful to God.
Remember, spiritual growth does not have to constantly be attributed to being perfect,
in fact, it can simply be seen, as making a bit of progress towards completing what God wants you to accomplish with your life.
To grow Spiritually everyday:
1. Start Your Day with Prayer
Starting your day with prayer can be one of the best ways to grow spiritually each day.
This is to centre your hearts/minds on Him before all that other stuff like social media notifications and other activities and engagement of the day starts to distract you from Him.
Going to God in prayer early each morning is an act of surrender to Him, which shows
God that you are seeking His direction (guidance), strength and wisdom for the day
ahead rather than making decisions based on what you think you need or what your
way of doing things is.
Jesus set this example for us. In Mark 1:35, as written, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”
If Jesus valued prayer as a priority in His life, what more of his followers?
The focus of morning prayer is not about how long or how difficult it is to pray in the
morning; but it’s best for us to pray sincerely and consistently each morning.
While praying you may want to start praying in the morning by thanking God for the new day, giving Him your plans for that day, asking Him for direction, and requesting His presence on your daily activities.
By engaging in this activity consistently, your perspective will shift over time. You will
find peace, clarity, and spiritual strength as you no longer begin your day alone; you will start your day with God.
Practical tip: Designate 5–15 minutes every morning where you spend time alone in a quiet place with no distractions, especially before looking at your phone or doing
anything else.
Even short, focused periods of prayer can have a major impact on your
spiritual development.
2. Read and Meditate on God’s Word
To experience daily growth in your spirituality, it is important to develop the habit of
consistently reading and meditating on the Word of God through the Scripture to help
you grow in faith.
The Bible is not merely a book; it is the voice of God, the guidance of God, and the truth of God for your life. Without the Bible, it will be difficult and unstable for you to grow spiritually.
Each day as you read Scripture, you will develop an understanding to the will of God,
increase your faith in God, and have your mind renewed by God. You will begin to think differently, respond differently, and live differently.
Over time, the Word of God will be used to influence your decisions and coordinate your life with God’s purpose for your life.
As the book of Joshua reminds us, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your
mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do
according to all that is written in it.
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. (Joshua 1:8).”
To meditate, means to go beyond just reading Scripture; it means taking time to think
upon what you have read.
While meditating, you will ask yourself three questions:
- What is God saying in this passage?
- How does this apply to my life today? And
- What changes do I need to make?
Through meditation upon Scripture, the Word will move from your head to the very core of your being, where true transformation will occur.
Reading the Bible doesn’t have to be extensive; reading only a couple of verses or
chapters can create dramatic change in your spiritual growth, if done with
comprehension and mindfulness.
Practical tip: Schedule a time each day to read your Bible. This could be in the
morning or at night. Start with one chapter or just a couple of verses, write down things you have learned, and ask the Lord to assist you in applying the principles that you have learned in your daily life.
3. Practice Consistent Worship
Worship plays an important role in the process of spiritual maturity; this type of worship extends way more, beyond mere singing or praise within a church.
True worship means living each day as a way of honoring God with all of you: heart,
words, and actions.
A consistent effort of seeking to worship God in this manner serves as a daily reminder to build your relationship with Him, together with your focus upon Him.
In the book of John, we are made to understand that:
“God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”” (John 4:24)
What this is conveying is the fact that worship is not solely an external expression; but
it’s also an internal feeling that comes from a heart that is fully devoted to the Lord.
Worship will allow you to remove your needs and concerns of life, by placing your focus upon God and His greatness; to remember who God is: He is faithful; He is all-powerful; He is always loving; He is always worthy of worship.
Worship will build your faith, change your perspective, and rejuvenate your Spirit.
The consistent act of worship provides an environment for God’s presence to become
evident in our life.
Worship gives us the ability to listen to God and draws us closer to Him daily.
Worship can be done at any time in any place; it does not have to occur in church.
You can worship God through song, through prayer, through praise and thanks, or even by just acknowledging God as you go through your day.
As you worship God in your daily life, you are maintaining your relationship with God.
Practical Tip: Make time in your daily schedule to worship God. You may want to listen to worship music and sing along or take a minute to express your love and thankfulness to Him. Throughout your day, you can stop and give God praise.
4. Be Intentional About Obedience
Spiritual growth involves more than just acquiring the knowledge of God’s word; it has to do with practicalizing that knowledge every day.
You can pray every day, read the Bible daily, and worship daily; however, without
obedience to what you have learned, true spiritual growth will be limited.
Obeying God’s truth is how one’s spiritual understanding transforms into lasting change.
James 1:22 says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving
yourselves.”
Obeying God, whether it’s by obeying him concerning large decisions or small actions
you take day-by-day, will help strengthen your relationship with him.
By obeying God, you build your trust in him, develop your faith, and align your life with his plan for you.
Being intentional about obeying God means you will not ignore what he shows you to
do. When the Holy Spirit convicts you or gives you guidance in a particular area, you will respond in that direction with a willing heart. It may not always be easy, but it will always be worth it.
There are occasions when being obedient necessitates pardoning someone,
abandoning an unhealthy habit, stating the truth, and having faith in yourself.
All these opportunities for personal development. With each act of obedience to God, your ability to listen spiritually increases, which means that you are likely to hear God more clearly.
Practical tip: After studying or praying the Scriptures, think about “What is God telling me?” Then take immediate action based upon the answer. You will grow when you action what you learn.
5. Guard Your Mind and Heart
How you grow spiritually is a major function of what is being put into your mind and your heart.
The content you’re taking in, the thoughts you contemplate on, and the voices
that you’re listening to, will greatly influence you spiritually.
If you’re not intentional about these things, the negative aspects from the outside will
begin to exhaust you spiritually.
Proverbs 4:23: “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”.
Regarding how we live our lives, our heart is at the core of our thoughts, feelings, and
decision-making processes.
What goes in will eventually come out in our attitude, words and actions; so, guarding
our heart is critical to maintaining continuous spiritual growth.
This does not mean that we should withdraw from society, but we should be wise and
selective regarding all we watch, listen to, and participate in, that will improve/decrease our spiritual well-being. Some things may appear to be neutral but can eventually divert our attention away from God.
As your spiritual growth progresses, developing your ability to distinguish between
things that strengthen and support your faith, and those that do not becomes
increasingly important.
When you fill your mind with God’s Word as well as positive, uplifting things, your relationship with God will grow and flourish.
Practical tip: Take an inventory of your daily consumption, and make adjustments as
necessary; for example, avoid or reduce exposure to content that distracts you from or negatively affects your spirit as well as replace those types of materials with things that bring you closer to God (e.g., reading the scripture, listening to sermons or participating in worship music).
6. Fellowship with Other Believers
As a Child of God, spiritual development does not take place in a vacuum; it occurs
within a community of believers and other Christian brothers and sisters who can
provide encouragement and support as well as strength to remain consistent and firmly established in the faith.
Hebrews 10:25: “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”
When you are with other Christians, you have a greater accountability to follow the Lord, because of the encouragement from fellow believers.
In times of difficulty, Christian friends will pray for you and encourage you and remind
you of the truth of God’s Word.
When you are growing spiritually, these same friends will help you by challenging you to go deeper in your relationship with God.
Also, fellowship has the potential to help each of us learn about and from one another,
tell one another about our lives and experiences, and grow spiritually together as a body of Christ.
In addition to helping, you stay motivated; fellowship provides opportunities to
avoid being spiritually isolated from fellow believers, which can often lead to feelings of discouragement.
Consistent fellowship will build your faith as you grow through your faith journey.
Practical tip: Priority to make weekly connections (e.g. through a church, fellowship
group, or intentional relationships with people who will encourage you in your walk with God).
7. Serve Others in Love
Another practical method to achieve spiritual growth each day is through serving others. Spiritual growth isn’t merely about receiving from God, but rather about how we share and serve others.
In serving people, we enter the heart of Christ, who came to serve
and not to be served.
Galatians 5:13, where it says: “For you were called to
freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but
through love serve one another.”
By serving others, you will move from a self-centered lifestyle to becoming humble,
compassionate, and having a deeper realization of the heart of God.
Spiritual maturity is often demonstrated not in what we have learned, but in how we
treat others.
Jesus demonstrated a life of serving others. He washed the feet of His disciples, healed
the sick, fed hungry people, and met the needs of others continuously.
Following His example means being willing to help others, no matter how simple or
small the act of kindness may be.
It’s not necessarily a specific platform or position that qualifies you to be a servant;
rather service is being done wherever there is a need for it either at home, work, church, or community through acts of kindness and encouragement, giving or simply just for being available when needed.
The more you assist and help others, the more joy, purpose, and a greater connection
to God you will have.
Practical tip: Look for at least one way each day that you can serve at least one
person, whether that be through encouragement, helping with something or doing an act of kindness. Pray and ask God to open your eyes to see needs surrounding you and give you the ability to serve them in love.
8. Practice Gratitude Daily
Practicing gratitude (also referred to as thankfulness) is a strong spiritual discipline that enables us to remain connected to God’s goodness in all seasons of our lives.
When you develop your heart to be thankful, it changes your perspective from looking
for what you don’t have, to looking at all the wonderful things God has done for you.
The Bible teaches this in 1 Thessalonians 5:18: “In all circumstances give thanks; for
this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Being thankful doesn’t mean that we ignore the fact that we are going through
challenges; it does mean that we recognize that God is still good during those
challenges.
Developing a thankful heart strengthens your faith, draws you closer to God and
protects you from bitterness, negativity, as well as sorrow.
When you intentionally make the time each day to thank God for who He is and what He has done, you become more cognizant of His presence along with His blessings, both large and small.
By becoming more aware of Him and His blessings, you develop a closer relationship
with Him, having trust in His will for your life.
Thankfulness affects one’s perspective as well as one’s response to the circumstances
of life. Gratitude enables one to face life with joy rather than being frustrated and with
peace rather than worry. Gradually it begins to change the way you view life and is
replaced with the character of God.
Practical tip: Take some time each day to list three (3) things you are thankful to God for. Incorporate thankfulness into your prayer time by thanking him not only for what he has done for you, but also for who he is.
9. Fast Regularly (When led)
The practice of fasting is a very strong method of growing closer to God and developing a more intimate relationship with Him.
Through intentional fasting (not eating food or other things for a certain period) to better focus on prayer, worship, and God’s presence.
Fasting is frequently linked in the Bible with significant spiritual breakthroughs, greater
clarity, and deeper relationship with God.
By abstaining from physical distractions, you will be able to hear God’s voice more clearly through your spirit.
Matthew 6:16–18 teaches that fasting should take place genuinely (not publicly), and
that it should be a private act of devotion towards God.
Fast and increase your dependence on God by growing your discipline of self-control
with this discipline. Fasting also serves as a way of reinforcing the importance of God to us as the ultimate source of strength, nourishment and provision – as stated by Jesus in Matthew 4:4: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.”
Fasting with wisdom and listening to God through His Holy Spirit is essential. Fasting
isn’t a means to be hard on yourself but rather it’s a way to grow closer to God with a
proper attitude.
Practical tip: Start slow, try skipping one meal and during your mealtime, use that time for prayer and reading God’s word. As you continue to grow spiritually, you can start to increase the lengths of time you fast as God leads.
10. Depend on the Holy Spirit
The last and most important key to spiritual maturity is total reliance on the Holy Spirit.
Human beings cannot attain genuine spiritual maturity without relying completely on the Holy Spirit.
It is impossible to reach true transformation through your own works; regardless of how disciplined one may be with respect to prayer, reading the Bible, or fasting, it is only by relying on the Holy Spirit that one’s life will be truly transformed.
The Holy Spirit serves as your personal guide, teacher, and helper. The Holy Spirit
brings you strength in your times of weakness. He will help you when you stray off the
path.
The Holy Spirit empowers you to follow God’s path for your life. When your spiritual
practice is done without the Holy Spirit, it has the potential to become dull and
unproductive; however, when your spiritual practice is performed with the Holy Spirit, it has the potential to be a life-altering experience.
As it is written in Galatians 5:16: “Walk according to the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the desires of your flesh.”
Walking in the Spirit means making the Holy Spirit your decision maker, to have the
Holy Spirit form the way you think and to have the Holy Spirit influence how you act on a day-to-day basis.
It should be an ongoing relationship; it should not be a one-time experience.
“The more you rely on God, the more He will produce good things (i.e., love, patience,
peace, self-control, etc.) in your life; this process will enable you to become more
Christlike every day.”
Practical Tip: As soon as you wake up, pray and invite the Holy Spirit into your life. Ask Him to assist you in the areas you need help with today; ask Him for direction in your thinking; ask Him to help you choose correctly; ask Him to give you strength to serve Him.”
Conclusion
Commitment, intentionality, and total dependence on God are important aspects of
spiritual maturity. While it takes time for true transformation to occur, with daily effort
you will eventually experience changes.
Use these 10 practical steps to develop your spirituality (prayer, study, service) and
create a strong foundation for your faith. All steps matter as you make progress towards maturity in each area.
You can take heart and be confident as you continue to follow God’s will for your life
(Philippians 1:6).
God is transforming you into the image He designed for you to be; you need to remain faithful, consistent, and connected in your relationship with Him. Now is the time to start making these commitments! Do not stop growing!
