(c) Amy S. Lewis, 2009
Hebrews 6:1: “So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God.”
Time just has a way of melting away when you’re on the back of a horse. Hours seem like minutes; the world a million miles away. And suddenly, you’re jettison back to reality with one look at your watch. That’s usually when I discover I’m behind schedule and I’m at the furthest point out. I become restless, looking for any possible shortcut, only to realize there are none. I can’t cut corners. All I can do is trot and canter to cover ground more quickly.
There are other areas of life where there are no shortcuts. An eight-second ride can’t be cut short. Losing weight can’t be done overnight, sadly. Earning a trip to the National Finals Rodeo has to be earned over time. Kids head back to school each fall to work toward graduation. No shortcuts.
There are also no shortcuts in our spiritual growth. It is a process guided by the Holy Spirit and it requires our cooperation. We grow in spiritual maturity through Bible study and prayer, and by allowing the Holy Spirit to shape us into more godly people. We can’t take one class and consider our efforts done. The Holy Spirit is continually refining us. He constantly has more to teach us. We need to be willing to learn, step by step, day by day. We need to be gracious toward ourselves when we stumble – it’s all part of the process. As we demonstrate our love and trust, God will give us more knowledge and revelations of himself. And as we grow in our faith, allowing it to be stretched, and following God’s will, He will take us deeper and deeper.
Matthew 13:11-12 (NLT), “He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.”
Just like there are often no shortcuts when we’re riding or in our training program, so too there are no shortcuts in our spiritual growth. Sometimes the Christian road seems hard and long. The journey, however, can’t be rushed. The reward is eternal.
Questions for reflection:
1. Do you have a desire to grow deeper in your faith? To be closer to God? What one thing could you do today to move towards him?
2. Fall is a great time to “return to school” and start a new routine. As kids return to school in the fall, what activity could you do to gain a greater understanding of God and His Word? Many church classes like Alpha and Bible studies such as Bible Study Fellowship begin in September. (I attend the evening women’s class in Burnsville, MN – we start on Monday, Sept. 14 at 6:55 p.m.)
3. What has propelled your spiritual development or faith in the past? Why did it have an effect on you? How have you built on what you learned?
