If you’ve ever commented to a child how much they have grown since you last saw them, you probably saw them beam. Every child wants to get bigger and stronger and, although they don’t realize they are growing as they go through their days, they love the realization that they are doing so just the same. Then the day comes when they stop growing taller and start growing out, and all of a sudden they no longer want to be told how big they’re getting. :)

Just as a baby begins a growth process from the moment he or she is conceived, so it is with us as soon as we accept Christ as our Savior. Maybe the initial decision was scary as you stepped into the unknown, but before long, you began to see God answer your prayers which gave you a glimmer of faith to continue on the journey. Some people believe that God answers more prayers for new Believers because they need to see more miracles than seasoned Believers do. I don’t necessarily believe that, as I still see God move so much on my behalf, but I will say that those of us who have experienced God’s presence and power have no excuse to doubt Him when things are not going our way.

Gloria Gaither wrote a song that says, “I’m not where I wanna be; I’m not where I’m gonna be; but thank God I’m not where I was.” This is how I feel when I look back at my life. I don’t know when some of the changes occurred, but I can look back at my life 20 and 30 years ago and see how differently I respond to situations now, and I praise God for that. It inspires me to think that some of the things I struggle with now may be non-issues in another 10-20 years if I am still alive.

So, what about you? Have you grown in character and in your relationship with the Lord since you have gotten to know Him? Do you more readily trust and obey Him? Are you less angry, more patient, more loving? Do you praise Him in everything or do you still complain a lot? Again, we all have areas in which we still need to grow, but are you making progress or are you stuck? These are questions we must ask ourselves.

If you can find some quiet time this afternoon, I encourage you to look back over the progression of your life since you met Jesus. Maybe grab a journal and make notes. List some things that used to be a part of your life that you have overcome. Once you have done that, think about the things that you still need to change and commit to pray over those areas. Then you can move forward in faith, knowing that “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).