Ways to Grow Spiritually

As a child I went to church less than a handful of times. My parents were young and as with most young parents they were not focused on God. I knew very little about the Lord until I was about 11 or 12 years old.  I will never forget this day because it was the day that changed my life. On this day my parents put me on punishment and I was not allowed to use any electronics or sleep during the day. At that time I dreaded this punishment but in hindsight it was the best thing that ever happened to me. This is because I got bored and in my boredom I decided to read and that is when I found the book. This book was an old cloth-binded book with the title "My Book Of Bible Stories". I have no idea where this book came from or how it got into my room. All I know is this book was the beginning of my journey with the Lord. Since then I have grown in so many ways and I would like to share some ways that have helped me to grow spiritually in hopes that they will help you on your spiritual journey with the Lord.

1. Pray and Pray often- Just like in any other relationship communication builds connection, knowledge and understanding. We communicate with God through prayer.
2. Get quiet with the Lord- Silence is great for listening! Whether you know it or not God is speaking to us but a lot of times we can’t hear him because we are talking too much or our minds are crowded with thoughts.
3. Read and Study the Bible- Reading the Bible is super beneficial to your overall growth. Through reading you can get to know the Lords character and how to connect with God.
4. Study the history and science of the Bible- This one was super important to my growth because there are so many  people out there using history and science to discredit God. I always tell people the only way you can know for sure is if you do the research for yourself. Never take the words of others as fact; Always study it for yourself!
5. Connect with like minded individuals- We all know the old saying “You are what you eat”. Well I say you become who you hang around or they become you. You are either doing the influencing or you are being influenced by the people you spend your time with. Since that is the case make sure you are hanging with people that are pushing you closer to God and not pulling you away.
6. Refrain from partaking in worldly activities- Just because it’s accepted by the world does not mean it is acceptable to God. By all means have fun and enjoy life but make sure your activities do not dishonor God. Here is a question I try to ask myself before I make a decision to do anything and I think it will help you all. The question is would I do this activity in front of God or with God? If the answer is no then you shouldn’t be doing it.
7. Be careful with what you consume- Consumption overload!!! We do not only consume with our mouths we also consume with our eyes and ears. And a lot of times it happens subconsciously. Remember the enemy is slick with how he influences you. The music, television and social media are all used to distract you and to program you. We must be extra careful about what we allow to enter into our minds, hearts and our spirit.
8. Learn to focus on the present- We all have goals and dreams that we are chasing. For a lot of us those ambitions consume our lives. There is no material possession that can go with us when it’s our time to pass away. Remember the present is a gift that’s why it’s called the present focus on today not tomorrow or yesterday. Live for God today.

I hope that these suggestions help you to grow on your journey. Remember knowledge is not power it’s just knowledge but APPLIED knowledge is power. If something in this blog post resonated with you please leave a comment below sharing your thoughts. If you have other ways that you have been growing please feel free to share below.