Reflecting on Growth

If you ever have the opportunity to visit my house and climb the tall staircase that leads to a corridor where three modest doors swing open, you’ll probably catch a glimpse of pencil lines. They’re scrawled across each bedroom door jamb. They appear as horizontal tally marks inching their way up the wood like notches on an old leather belt.

Next to each pencil line, a scribbled number can also be read—age 2, age 5, age 7. These lines, after all, tell the physical growth of my children. And yet for me, they also tell of mealtimes and playtime, of laughter and tears, of dream-filled nights and demanding yet soul-gratifying days. They keep a record of our lives together.

And in seeing them, I wonder, why is it so easy to measure physical growth like this year after year, yet measuring my spiritual growth is something I so often forget to do?

When was the last time you deliberately looked back on your spiritual journey to see how far you’ve come? When have you let hindsight offer wisdom? When has retrospection paved the way for encouragement or propelled you toward even greater spiritual growth?

In 2 Peter 3:18, we’re told to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” We’re also told to “press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14). However, both of these happen best when we pause and contemplate the progress we’ve made thus far.

So, let me challenge you today. Take a few minutes and think about your history with God. Where has He shown up in your life? How has He grown your character, revealed your identity in Christ, kept you safe, or used you to bring comfort to others?

It’s never wasted time to reflect. Rather, it’s how we see His unending faithfulness—faithfulness He pours out again and again and again.