Many of you struggle because you are yet to identify the things that hinder your spiritual growth. Desiring spiritual growth is very necessary however there are some obstacles on the pathway to growth. If you think your growth cannot be hindered think twice. There are so many things(both internal and external) that will try to hamper your efforts. What are these things? In today’s post, I give you 10 things that can hinder your spiritual growth. Let’s dive in😀
HINDRANCES TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH!
1. PARTIAL SUBMISSION:
Ok, let’s get real! For most of us that grew up in Christian homes, we really don’t/didn’t know the meaning of “Jesus is the Lord of my life“. The truth of the matter is from the moment we declared Jesus as Lord over our lives we were telling Him to have it all. We gave Him keys to all the rooms, not just the living room. Living a life of partial submission will just hinder the spiritual growth process so stop compartmentalizing.
1b. IGNORANCE:
Ignorance of the law they say is not an excuse. People perish due to a lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6) thus Ignorance is not bliss. Spiritual ignorance is very dangerous. If as youths, we don’t know the meaning and importance of spiritual growth, we won’t see the need to grow. This leaves us in a very unsafe spot because the devil can and will manipulate and deceive us. You can’t go on being unbothered about your spiritual well-being. Such an attitude can hinder your spiritual growth.
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2. LACK OF COMMITMENT&INCONSISTENCY:
There is power in consistency and Commitment to a course yields great results. Not being committed to one’s spiritual well-being is not something to brag about. God is committed to loving you and He consistently wakes you up every morning. That’s a huge blessing! Spiritual growth is not automatic(it’s not something you just desire), you have to be committed and show up consistently.
I used to be someone who struggled with consistency and that was one of the things that held me back from pursuing a deeper relationship with God. Prior to now, I would be all hyped up and draw plans and come up with ways to read my bible, pray, etc. Well, I am sad to say those plans never really worked. why? Because I wasn’t committed nor consistent. However, with the help of the Holy Spirt I was able to discipline myself and learn how to be consistent(this is a whole blog post for another day lol)
3. INDIFFERENCE TO THE THINGS OF GOD:
Indifference is what I define as a lack of awe or wonder about God. It’s a nonchalant attitude where you have no enthusiasm whatsoever. Sometimes we become so familiar with the things of God that we no longer see the beauty in them. One might reach a point where you just participate in all these activities because you feel it’s expected of you as a Christian. This can affect your growth, the drive or motivation is no longer there. God no longer blows your mind and you are just there(stagnant).
4. FEAR OF GROWTH:
It’s no secret that growth is uncomfortable. To grow one has to leave one’s comfort zone, let go of some old pattern of doing things, and change. That’s not something most of us are willing to do but it is necessary. Some of you are afraid of the responsibilities that come with growing up and this mindset can slow down(if not stop) the growth process.
5. SIN:
Yes, this is definitely on the list. This is one of the biggest barriers between man and God. The effects of sin were such that God had to send his only son. Now that’s serious! spiritual growth equals becoming like Christ meaning you can’t keep living in sin if you truly want to grow(1 John 1;6)
6. SOME RELATIONSHIPS:
Some relationships with certain individuals or groups of individuals can make you compromise on important things and this can hinder your growth. Bad company corrupts good morals(1 Corinthians 15:33) and those around you can influence you. If you truly desire to grow up spiritually then you must pay close attention and be mindful of your circle
7. SLOTHFULNESS:
This is one of the seven deadliest sins. It is so subtle that we rarely notice it. Slothfulness is just laziness 2.0. God has given You strength but being slothful will prevent you from using that strength to grow.
8. BUSYNESS:
Most of us are guilty of this ☹. We get so busy with the demands of life, assignments, duties and responsibilities, and heavy school workload. We can get so engrossed in these activities that we forget the most primary and important thing which is our relationship with Jesus. Like all relationships, ours with our father requires time, energy, and effort. To grow one needs to create time.
9.DEPENDING ON YOUR OWN STRENGHT:
Truth be told you cannot grow on your own. Trying to do it in your own strength will just lead to burnout. Although your active participation is required, it is still God that works in you both to will and do according to his good pleasure(Philippians 2:13), thus you must grow with the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.
10. DISTRACTIONS:
On a regular day, there are so many things that call our attention. Distraction is one of the major hindrances to spiritual growth. It keeps you from pursuing a relationship with God because anytime you try, something or someone comes up with something that takes your attention away from the important thing at hand.
CONCLUSION:
As believers, We are faced with so many challenges. Nevertheless, God has given us the ability to thrive🦾 all we need do is identify those obstacles that stand in our way and come up with ways to overcome them.
What are some things that can hinder one’s spiritual growth? Let’s talk in the comment section.
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[…] but gradual process and a lot of work and effort are needed. Now that you’ve identified those hindering factors to your growth and the desire for growth still there, the next step is to actually make a move. […]