Spiritual Sketches: from the garden
How to Grow Spiritually: The Essential Tools Every Christian Needs
With any new project, the question of “how” can often feel daunting. When 2020 hit and spring arrived, anxiety filled our hearts. I decided to start gardening, thinking it might help us prepare for an uncertain future. My grand plan? Save up enough food for the apocalypse. Little did I know, you need a significantly large garden producing a substantial amount of food to sustain a family for a year. But that’s a story for another time.
Seeking Wisdom for the Garden
To answer the “how” for my garden, I reached out to people who had spent years cultivating their own. I called those with experience, asking about what to plant, when to plant, how to manage soil moisture, deal with pests, and much more. I also invested time in watching YouTube videos and reading gardening books.
Without the guidance of these seasoned gardeners, I wouldn’t have made it very far. There’s a beautiful parallel to the Christian life here. God doesn’t leave us to figure everything out on our own.
Three God-Given Tools for Spiritual Growth
God provides Christians with three essential tools to aid us in our spiritual journey: the Holy Spirit, spiritual disciplines, and the local church.
1. The Holy Spirit: Our Divine Helper
When Jesus told His disciples that He was about to leave and return to heaven, He assured them that He would send “the Helper,” also known as the Advocate or the third Person of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit’s role is to remind us of everything Jesus has taught. As Jesus said, “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever” (John 14:16, ESV).
2. Spiritual Disciplines: The Daily Practices of Faith
While spiritual disciplines encompass a vast range of practices, two foundational ones are prayer and reading God’s Word.
Reading the Bible is vital for Christian growth, just as water is essential for a plant. The Bible reveals who God is, who we are, and what He has done for us in Jesus Christ. Without it, we cannot grow spiritually. Joshua 1:8 reminds us, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night… For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success” (ESV).
Prayer is the second essential discipline. If Bible reading is God speaking to us, prayer is our communication back to God. Just as no healthy relationship can exist without communication, so it is with our relationship with God. He promises to hear us when we pray: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6, ESV).
3. The Local Church: A Community for Growth
The local church is another gift given for our spiritual maturity. Jesus died for the church and loves it deeply. The local church is a community of forgiven sinners striving to walk with Jesus. Its purpose is to pray for one another, remind each other of the gospel, encourage each other, and bear one another’s burdens. The Christian life is meant to be lived in community. “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:24-25)
Conclusion: Nurturing Your Spiritual Life
Whenever one of these three elements—the Holy Spirit, spiritual disciplines, or the local church—is missing from a Christian’s life, you will find a very unhealthy spiritual plant. These three elements answer the “how” questions in our spiritual lives: How do I grow in holiness? How do I know that God loves me? How can I be a better spouse or parent? How can I forsake sin? How can I grow in my walk with Jesus? Every spiritual question you have can be answered through these three gifts.
Just as mature gardeners have helped my garden and my understanding of gardening grow, so too have the Holy Spirit, prayer, Scripture, and the local church helped me grow in my walk with Jesus.
Today, I challenge you to reflect on your past year. How does your spiritual walk look? Are you relying on the Holy Spirit, God’s Word, and the local church to help you grow? If not, today is the day to make that change.
