What Is Wrong? - Part 5

Why are there times that a believer can be seeking God and desiring to grow in the relationship with Him, but he seems to meet only drudgery and mediocrity? In this final segment about those frustrating seasons that cause a believer to cry out, "What is wrong?" we will look at what is probably the most fundamental reason of all. The bottom line is that God within His providential wisdom brings growth to the Christian according to His unique plan for each individual.

An individual believer cannot force spiritual growth. The maturity and sweet relationship with God is something that a believer aspires to primarily because he has seen it displayed in the lives of others around him. (See Psalm 119.) He cannot, however, force or fabricate that spiritual vitality just by determining that it will be so. He cannot say, "By this time next month (or next year) I will be a Christian like that," and then work to produce that result.

The attempt to do so ignores at least two factors. First, the relationship with God is just that - a relationship. It is not a structured series of steps or a regimented procedure. It is not a mechanical challenge in which someone systematically moves through the sequential levels until he reaches the pinnacle. The attempt to move through prescribed steps actually detracts from and depersonalizes the relationship aspect. Relationships are built over time, and because people are different, the way relationships progress will be different from person to person. So one Christian cannot even use another Christian's life as a surefire pattern to follow.

Second, an attempt to force spiritual growth by doing the right things errs in regards to motive. Such a forced effort is tainted with pride and self-dependence. The believer in question soon finds himself making comparisons with others. He becomes pleased (or worse) about how he has progressed more than someone else because he has "done the right things" to make that happen. He becomes proud of his understanding of how to proceed, of his faithfulness in following his plan, and of his subsequent progress. He then believes himself able to determine his own spiritual status simply by doing the right things and following the correct procedures. He puts himself in the position of control, rather than God. He forgets that without the grace of God, no man could draw near to God. Just as salvation cannot be achieved through human efforts, neither can Christian maturity. These things come not by works, but by grace, as the believer humbly realizes that he is incapable of producing results and is dependent on God's favor.

This does not excuse the Christian from pursuing God and attempting to grow in his Christian life. The speaker in Psalm 119 desired that growth, and he dedicated himself toward pursuing that. Over the course of his life, God brought about the goal he desired. God is able to do that work in the lives of those who are humble under His hands and who place themselves in a position where God can do what He wants to do. I heard one preacher explain it this way: it is the believer's responsibility to jump into the river, but God controls the river. God determines how deep and how swift different parts of the river are, as well as how the currents move within that river.

If Christian growth comes down to God's work, some questions emerge. Why would God ever take things slowly? Why would He allow or choose these frustrating times when seemingly nothing is happening? Wouldn't it be wiser to make everyone grow really fast? The answer is that we cannot completely understand God's work. Even when we do understand what would make sense, God inexplicably does not always work the same way we would. With some factors completely outside of human understanding, there are some possible factors that we can grasp at least in part.

Lasting growth is often achieved gradually. It is the repetition that creates true strength and genuine mastery. A man without training might be able to lift one hundred pounds once, (maybe hurting himself in the process), but a man with training achieves the ability to lift that weight consistently and without injury. An untrained child might make a lucky three-point shot in basketball, but regular training and lots of practice allow an athlete to succeed regularly. Likewise, God works on a steady and gradual basis so that the spiritual muscles are properly trained for the tasks that await them.

God may also allow gradual growth at times because of the setting typically required for more concentrated growth. Those times of rapid growth often occur during a trial; often the more intense the trial, the more dramatically God works through it. At times in my life, God has given such explosive growth that I felt like a surfer riding the crest of a huge wave that just wouldn't end. The growth was exciting, but also a bit overwhelming with all that energy threatening to topple me. We cannot always maintain that level of intensity, so God plans calmer times to let us fully absorb what He has taught before we plunge into the next adventure.

While it is true that exciting times are often the catalyst for growth, the exact opposite can also be true. We must learn to trust God in the dull times too, not just in the excitement of activity. We need to be faithful when life is "boring." Our walk with God is an everyday walk, not just an emergency walk. Maybe begging Him for help and insight in a time when nothing seems to be happening will bring key growth that cannot be achieved by begging Him for help in the midst of crisis.

The important thing to remember when our spiritual life seems dull in spite of our desire for it to be otherwise is that God is doing His work in us. Important growth may be happening without our being able to see it. God knows just what areas need help, and we may not even be aware of the need or of the work He is doing. We need to trust Him that He is working according to His plan. While we do need to pursue God and put ourselves in a position where He can work, we must also remember that God is the one who must do the work.

"For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." Philippians 2:13