Doing the Work: Self, Spiritual Goals, and Personal Growth

Spiritual goals and growth are not about practicing more religious habits. While those can be external reflections of a relationship with Christ, the root of it occurs in our hearts. Becoming more like Jesus originates in shared time and surrender.

Sometimes, we have notions about what we think serving God is supposed to be. Yet, we haven’t always inquired with our Father about what that looks like for us, considering how He formed us and fit us in various roles and responsibilities, with distinct spiritual aptitudes and natural abilities.

God wants to shape our lives in ways that will not only transform us but also impact our environment. Sometimes, we are preoccupied with the reverse. We envision shifting outside conditions, believing that internal transformation pivots on shifting circumstances.

This externalizes our joy, resting it on outside sources with no real guarantee that they will produce the difference we desire. A few well-placed changes may suffice temporarily, but they won’t bring the abiding peace and long-term transformation that glorifies God and blesses us and others.

Instead, Jesus invites us to journey with Him into our souls to dig deep concerning our spiritual goals and growth. As we yield, the Holy Spirit does the work of changing our lives from the inside out. He may rearrange circumstances, but He often begins with our character.

Ultimately, He transforms us, enabling us to make environmental changes reflective of who He is and what He’s doing within our souls. The following outline a few ways we can follow His lead, with spiritual integrity and practical simplicity.

Self-Reflection

The mirror of God’s Word enables us to accurately see ourselves as God does (James 1:23-24). Often, the world’s noise distracts and infiltrates our souls with toxins that blur our vision, blinding us to the influences that destabilize our identity and cause us to waver in our godly authority. These clog and pollute with harmful narratives that not only disturb our peace but divert our focus from our primary pursuit.

In seeing Jesus, however, we see our true selves (2 Corinthians 3:18; 1 John 4:17). Inviting the Person of Wisdom, the Holy Spirit, invokes the power of partnership to assess our lives, become more aware, and align with His original design.

The Stance of a Student

The Holy Spirit is our Help. We can ask, “How do you want to teach or help me through this situation?”

When we approach life and circumstances from the stance of a learner, we welcome Him to show us what we didn’t know and couldn’t see (Jeremiah 33:3). Maintaining the posture of a student and teachable son or daughter makes us malleable in His hands.

Our willingness to surrender what we don’t know to the One who knows all demonstrates our love and trust and underscores the peace needed to ease difficult transitions with grace and joy.

Self-Control

We can’t change others, but we can decide how we want to respond to them and the situations we encounter.

Our intentionality has the potential to shift atmospheres. Long before conflict arises or another challenge presents, we can decide to prioritize honest communication that honors God, resists judgment, and extends the compassion and character of Christ. Since the Bible refers to this in Galatians 5, as the fruit of the Spirit, He will help us to ripen and mature in the qualities that reflect His presence and power in our lives.

Next Steps

As you spend time on this site, read and reflect. There’s no coincidence here. The Holy Spirit led you to a place where you can obtain the support to enhance your spiritual wellness. Search, select, and schedule a meeting with a counselor. You are gathering the tools and resources to do the internal work and take the next steps with your spiritual growth and goals.