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There is something sacred about growth—it is God’s quiet way of revealing that life is still present.
J. C. Ryle once wrote, “Growth in grace is the best evidence of spiritual health and prosperity. In a child or a flower or a tree, we are all aware that when there is no growth, there is something wrong. Healthy life in an animal or plant will always show itself by progress and increase. It is the same with our souls. If they are progressing and doing well, they will grow.”
Growth, then, is not optional—it is proof that faith is alive. Just as a seed cannot remain underground forever, neither can a soul redeemed by grace remain unchanged. God designed His children to develop, deepen, and expand in the likeness of Christ. Spiritual growth is both a command and a comfort. It means that God’s hand is still on you, shaping what He began.
Grace Reveals the Presence of Life
When Peter wrote, “You must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18 ERV), he was not simply offering encouragement—he was reminding believers that grace itself is alive. Grace grows us. It matures us from the inside out.
Grace is the evidence of divine life taking root in ordinary soil. It is God’s Spirit nurturing what was once dead, bringing forth patience where there was once pride, peace where there was once panic, and obedience where there was once resistance.
If you can look back and see how you respond differently than you once did—if you forgive faster, love deeper, or trust sooner—then you are growing in grace. That quiet transformation is not the result of willpower; it is the fruit of divine power working in you.
Ephesians 4:15 (CEB) calls us to “grow in every way into Him who is the head—into Christ.” The goal of grace is not comfort—it is Christlikeness. Every act of surrender to His Word, every moment of reliance on His strength, becomes a seed of growth.
When Growth Feels Slow but God Is Still Working
Sometimes growth is invisible. A seed planted today does not bloom tomorrow. There are seasons when spiritual life feels still—when prayer seems dry or progress feels distant. Yet, even in these quiet spaces, grace is working beneath the surface.
Growth in grace often happens underground, in the hidden places of faith. It is when God refines motives, rearranges priorities, and roots our identity in His love instead of our performance.
In Philippians 1:6 (ESV), Paul assures believers, “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” That means the process is never stalled; it is simply unfolding in God’s time.
Do not mistake stillness for stagnation. The same God who watches the lilies bloom in their season is watching over your growth too. You are not behind; you are being cultivated.
Grace Demands Cooperation, Not Control
Growth in grace is not passive—it requires partnership. God supplies the seed and the soil, but you must nurture what He plants. That means choosing obedience over convenience, humility over pride, faith over fear.
The Apostle Paul wrote, “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12–13 ESV). This verse reminds us that spiritual maturity is cooperative. God does the transforming, but we must yield to His touch.
Grace does not cancel effort—it redirects it. Instead of striving to earn His approval, we respond to His presence. Instead of trying to control the outcome, we commit to the process.
It takes humility to grow. It takes courage to remain planted when you want to move on. But every act of surrender, every “yes” to God’s will, stretches your spiritual roots deeper into His love.
Signs That You Are Growing in Grace
Growth in grace may not always feel dramatic, but it will always leave evidence. You will notice shifts—gentle but steady signs that your heart is maturing.
You respond with peace instead of panic. You begin to pause before reacting, letting the Holy Spirit guide your words.
You repent quickly and forgive freely. Your heart softens toward others and toward yourself.
You hunger for God’s Word. Spiritual appetite replaces apathy. You find joy in learning His truth.
You persevere in prayer. You stop measuring God’s faithfulness by how fast He answers and start trusting that He always hears.
You serve with sincerity. Grace replaces self-promotion with quiet purpose.
These are not signs of perfection—they are signs of progression. Grace grows slowly, but it never stops growing.
As Ryle noted, when there is no growth, there is something wrong. But when grace is active, even in the smallest measure, it proves that the life of Christ is flourishing within you.
When Grace Transforms the Hard Seasons
Growth does not only happen in peace; it happens in pressure. God uses trials to deepen the roots of grace. Without resistance, there would be no resilience.
Romans 5:3–5 (CEV) says, “We gladly suffer, because we know that suffering helps us to endure. And endurance builds character, which gives us hope that will never disappoint us. All this happens because God has given us the Holy Spirit.”
Grace strengthens you in difficulty—not by removing the pain, but by renewing your perspective. What once would have broken you now becomes a reason to trust Him more deeply. You learn to see challenges not as punishments, but as platforms for growth.
Every test becomes a tool in the Gardener’s hand. Every hardship becomes holy ground where grace digs deeper.
So when the storm comes, do not fear what is falling apart—trust what is forming beneath. God does His best work in the soil of surrender.
Growing in Grace Means Bearing Fruit
The surest sign of spiritual growth is fruit. Jesus said, “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit” (John 15:2 ESV).
Fruit is the outward evidence of inward transformation. It is seen in how you love, serve, and respond to life’s seasons. But notice: pruning precedes abundance. God cuts away what hinders growth so that grace can produce more.
If you are in a pruning season—where something has been removed or ended—it may be because God is preparing new fruit to emerge. Let His pruning hands do their work. What feels like loss is often making space for life.
The more grace grows within you, the more Christ’s character becomes visible through you. Love deepens, patience lengthens, and peace multiplies. That is growth in grace—it does not merely change you; it transforms everyone around you.
Grace That Begins Will Always Continue
No plant decides to stop growing on its own. The same is true of a soul anchored in God’s love. His grace sustains what it starts.
2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV) declares, “We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.” This is the rhythm of spiritual life—one degree at a time. You may not see it daily, but over time, the shift is undeniable.
Grace is not static; it is alive. It renews the weary, restores the broken, and revives the stagnant. The only thing required is that you remain rooted in Christ, trusting that His Spirit will continue what He began.
Even if you cannot measure your progress, do not doubt your life. Growth in grace is sometimes slow, but it is never still. God’s work in you is ongoing, and His promise remains: you are becoming who He designed you to be.
Reflection Questions to think about
In what ways have you seen God’s grace cause growth in your life this year?
How do you usually respond when growth feels slow or hidden?
What “pruning” has God done in your life recently, and what new fruit might He be preparing to produce?
How can you nurture your spiritual health daily so that grace continues to flourish?
Affirmations to say to yourself
God’s grace is alive in me and producing spiritual growth every day.
My faith is maturing through grace, even when I cannot see it.
I am being transformed from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord.
Growth in grace is my sign of spiritual health, and I will keep progressing in Him.
Spiritual health is not measured by how much you know, but by how much you grow. Grace is the pulse of the soul—it is how you know that life with God is still moving, still deepening, still bearing fruit.
So let grace keep growing you—quietly, faithfully, and beautifully—until your life reflects the fullness of Christ.