8 Signs You’re Growing Spiritually
What are the signs of Christian maturity? How can you know if you’re growing spiritually? The world may measure growth by outward success and material possessions. However spiritual growth, especially for a follower of Christ, is about what’s happening in your heart. God looks at the heart and not outwards appearances (1 Samuel 16:7).
God is more interested in our inward change. God wants us to be people who are after His own heart. He desires that we draw close to Him. He wants us to become more like His Son Jesus Christ. Here are 8 biblical signs that point to genuine Christian maturity and spiritual growth.
1. You Grow in Your Reverence and Awareness of God
A maturing Christian will have the fear of God. Therefore because of your growing respect for God, in many situations in your life you’re always asking yourself questions like “What would God want me to do?”; “What would God think if I did this or that?”; “What would please God?”
Psalm 111:10 says: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His precepts have good understanding. To Him belongs eternal praise.
Your growing reverence of God means that you’re always trying to include God’s word or God’s value systems in your daily life and decision making. You are consistently aware of God in your life and thinking about how you can align with His will for your life.
2. You Grow in Your Awareness of Sin
Evidence that you are growing spiritually is your sensitivity to sin or immorality. You become more aware of sin, not only in action but in thought and attitude. When you sin, you’re quick to recognize it and desire to repent. You will also desire and chase after purity of heart (1 John 1:19; Psalm 139:23-24).
Romans 12:9 says: Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.
The more we grow in our love of God, the more our hatred for evil will increase. When you grow closer to God, you will also hate the sin in yourself and in the world, because you understand that sin is a destroyer of humanity. You will abhor evil and desire to cling to God because only God can cleanse you and protect you from the power and consequences of sin (Romans 6:23).
3. You Grow in Your Knowledge of Sound Doctrine
A sign that you’re growing spiritually is that God will lead you to His truth or to a knowledge and understanding of good doctrine. God does not want us to live in deception or under false teaching. He wants us to correctly understand His word and to correctly interpret the Scriptures.
2 Timothy 2:15 says: Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
So as we grow spiritually, our hunger for God’s word also grows. We want to study and understand God’s word correctly and in context. We have a desire not only for information – but for God’s truth. We have a desire not only for knowledge – but for sound doctrine that is based on God’s word.
4. You Endure Trials with Faith
As you mature as a Christian, you learn to grow through your trials and temptations. You realize that hard times do not exist to destroy you, but that God allows suffering, persecution and trials to mature us mentally and spiritually.
James 1:2-4 says: Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Romans 5:3-4 says: Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope.
So for the growing Christians, trials become opportunities for refining your faith and deepening your trust in God
5. The Fruit of the Spirit Is Visible
The more you grow spiritually, the more your character becomes like Jesus Christ. Galatians 5:22–23 outlines what the Spirit produces in a believer’s life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. When these traits begin to define your daily life, it’s a clear sign of growth.
Matthew 3:8 reads: Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.
In John 15:5 Jesus says: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.”
According to Jesus, we can only grow spiritually and bear fruit when we are spiritually connected to Christ. Our foundation for our faith and growth is Jesus Christ. Without Him we cannot accomplish anything of spiritual and eternal value. Without Jesus we have no spiritual identity or purpose. By being rooted and connected to Christ, we have fellowship with God and Christ enables us to grow spiritually.
6. You Desire Prayer Consistently
As you spiritually grow and mature, you consciously discover that you cannot live without prayer or fellowship with God. Prayer seizes to become a burden or part of your to-do-list. Instead you approach prayer or communication with God in the same way you do with someone you love very much: You realize that you cannot live without God and you love to talk to Him.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 says we should “pray continually”
A growing believer talks with God regularly, not just in emergencies. You begin to pray with faith, listen for God’s voice, and find peace in His presence. Therefore prayer becomes something you do anywhere and anytime. You realize that you can talk to God about anything, including your deepest and most secret issues and seek God’s guidance and fellowship in all circumstances.
7. You Desire to Share the Gospel
A mature Christian will begin to love souls – especially lost souls that need Christ as Savior. Therefore love is what motivates us to share the Gospel. As we grow in Christ, we realize that life is not about temporary things or temporary accomplishments. God’s ultimate goal is to save souls from facing eternal punishment.
In Mark 16:15 Jesus says “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.”
Our goal as Christians is to point people to Christ. The growing Christian understands it’s not the will of God that any should perish but that all should repent (2 Peter 3:9). So we must set our mind on eternal goals and that align with God’s will.
Therefore as you grow spiritually you will desire to share God’s word primarily because you love God and you love to see people saved and in relationship with God. Your desires become God’s desires.
8. You Grow in Your Desire to Obey God More Faithfully
Spiritual growth means doing what God says, even when it’s uncomfortable. You no longer follow your own will but submit to His, trusting that His ways are better (John 14:15; James 1:22).
James 1:22-25 says: Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it — he will be blessed in what he does.
Christian maturity is possible through practicing what we claim to believe. The experience of walking in obedience to God is essential to spiritual growth because an obedient life is a testimony to unbelievers about the wonderful God we follow.
Christ Himself took the form of a man and walked in sinless and perfect obedience to the will of God for our sake and on our behalf so that we are rendered completely justified when we receive Him as Lord and Savior (Philippians 2:7-8).
2 Corinthians 5:21 says: God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 5:21 highlights the profound nature of God’s sacrifice and redemption plan. It reveals that Jesus who was sinless, took on the burden of humanity’s sins, allowing believers to be credited with His righteousness.
Conclusion
Spiritual growth isn’t about perfection—it’s about progress. If you see these signs developing in your life, thank God for His work in you. And if you’re lacking in one area, ask the Holy Spirit to help you grow. After all, He who began a good work in you will carry it to completion (Philippians 1:6).
