Hey readers. As a rather recent Christian myself, I find that it’s good to ask yourself “where am I in my faith?”
There are many times that we sugar coat our answers to put ourselves in a better light. However, when it comes to assessing your faith, you cannot put your best foot forward. You have to be objective, honest, and even a little harsh with yourself.
One of the worst things you can do to yourself is fall into the trap of “I’m doing alright” or “I go to church.” Going to church is fine and dandy, but it isn’t a magical potion that fixes everything. Your assessment has to be based on who you are, what you do, how you have grown, and where you spend most of your time (mentally and physically).
For myself, I generally start by asking myself, “do I like what I’m seeing right now?” Generally I answer “no” and then beginning breaking down why. For example, the last time I did my personal reflection, I found that what I didn’t like was my attitude (which I still struggle with now and again). From there, I had to identify what was different then from when I liked my attitude better.
Right away I realized that a TV show I had begun watching was the common denominator. For a time I had been watching it but then decided to set it aside. When I started watching it again, I noticed a shift in how I acted and reacted. The change in myself occurred the first time I had been watching this same show. That’s when I knew that TV show was unhealthy for my relationship with Jesus. Since setting that show aside, I have been gradually improving in my emotional state and how I interact with others.
Small changes just like that one can make a world of difference in your walk with God. What are you watching, reading, listening to, etc. that is negatively affecting your walk with God? Are you willing to be brutally honest with yourself?
It is also important to zero in on your growth stage. Am I growing closer to God? Am I continually learning new things about Him and my beliefs? Or am I stuck at stage one? Do I tend to act like I did prior to conversion? Am I Chreaster (attending church only on Christmas or Easter to feel good inside)? Do I attend church to check off a box? Or to connect with God in a corporate atmosphere?
If you are not seeing spiritual growth, then something needs to change. It may be your mindset. Maybe your thought process about Christianity is a one and done commitment that doesn’t change anything about how you live your life. What can you change about this to begin growing in faith? Maybe it’s your Bible reading. Are you reading your Bible daily? How much daily are you reading? Are you paying attention to what the scripture says? Maybe you aren’t digging deep enough into the word. Do you reflect on what you have read? Do you discuss topics that you’ve learned something new from? Or do you ask questions about things that confuse you?
As you can see from some of the examples, growth only occurs if you actively pursue it. It isn’t going to happen just because you wanted it to. Yes, salvation is not earned through works. However, faith is active and alive. You have to work within it but you do not work to get it. See, you have to work for a job to be a job, you have to be actively pursuing a relationship for it to be a friendship, you have to stay consistent within your studies for it to be education. None of those earn you the end goal (job, friendship, education) they are how you stay within it.
As you make your self assessment, I hope that you discover how you can grow closer to God. Remember what James said:
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. James 2:17-20
New International Version
