If you want to be physically fit, you have to eat right, exercise, and put some time and effort into building good physical habits. Similarly, if you want spiritual growth—if you want to be spiritually fit—it will require investing in a spiritual regimen. Here are five foundational principles for spiritual growth.
Devotional input. Making time daily for godly input and spiritual nourishment is paramount to a vibrant spiritual life. The Bible says that “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). The Bible is the Word of God. Just as we need to eat physical food every day for sustenance, we need daily spiritual nourishment. Another source is devotional, faith-building material (or media) authored by godly men and women. The inspired writings of other Christians can serve to strengthen your faith, open your understanding of the Scriptures, and help you to practically apply God’s Word to your life.
Develop an active prayer life. Prayer is a key component of our spiritual life; it’s how we communicate with God, our Creator. We can speak with Him, praise and worship Him, and tell Him our concerns, troubles, needs, and ask Him for His help, intervention, and strength. Prayer is asking for the will of God to be done, and through prayer, we listen to His voice and seek His guidance, encouragement, comfort, and instruction. Through prayer, we can cast all of our earthly cares upon His strong shoulders.
Keep your heart right with God. This doesn’t mean you have to be perfect. Jesus understands our flaws and human weaknesses, as He experienced life as a human. When He gave His life for the forgiveness of our sins and our redemption, He knew very well that we’d never get everything right, no matter how hard we tried. We can enter into that wonderful place of peace and forgiveness by regularly confessing our faults, mistakes, and sins to Him. We can find peace in His forgiveness as we humble ourselves, acknowledge our faults, and run to His outstretched arms.
Follow God (His Word, voice, and guidance). Another foundational point for spiritual growth is doing what God’s Word says to do. We are called to obey what God asks of all Christians, as well as His personal guidance and instruction to us as individuals.
Participate in a community of believers. When we spend time with other Christians—worshipping, reading God’s Word, singing and praying together—we come away stronger. We are refreshed, our vision is clarified, and we are better prepared for what God will bring into our lives.
To cultivate a thriving spiritual life, put these five foundational points into practice. You’ll be happy with the results.