Why Is Growth So Boring? Understanding Spiritual Growth
Why is growth so Boring? Oftentimes, when we look at those who have impacted our lives, whether at a personal level, in church, or even in the online space, we can’t help but admire their lives and their wealth of knowledge and experience.
I would often wonder, as a younger Christian, why I couldn’t seem to ooze that kind of wisdom and insight that I heard coming from the mouths of those I looked up to. How did they get to that point? Why didn’t I seem to have the same depth of understanding?
It wasn’t until I grew older that I began to realize something important: I was seeing their harvest, not their sowing.
I was seeing the fruit of years of walking with the Lord, learning, practicing, making mistakes, and growing. I wasn’t necessarily seeing all the ordinary, repetitive things that had gone into producing that fruit.
I have since learnt that growth is often less exciting than we imagine it to be.
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Growth and maturity take time and consistency
We have a mango tree on our farm that God has used to give us a bountiful supply of mangoes for the past two or three seasons. But before it began producing fruit, it took several years of waiting.
If it hadn’t been for the fact that my larger family is reluctant to cut down trees unless absolutely necessary, that tree might have been cut down long before it ever bore fruit!
We could have looked at it during those early years and wondered whether it was worth keeping. Yet, in time, it began producing mangoes.
God uses the natural to help us understand the spiritual. Just as a mango tree takes time to mature and bear fruit, so do we.
We may desire to become more knowledgeable in God’s Word, wiser in our decisions, more disciplined in our walk with the Lord, or more fruitful in the work He has given us. But these things don’t usually happen overnight. They take time. They require consistency.
We must keep returning to God’s Word, keep praying, keep learning, and keep putting into practice what He teaches us. We may not always see immediate results, but that doesn’t mean nothing is happening.
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The routines that produce growth can seem boring
Again, why is growth so boring? Think about the routines and structures that help us grow. They often involve doing the same things repeatedly.
Waking up each morning to spend time with the Lord in His Word and prayer, for example, may not always feel exciting. Some mornings, we may struggle to get started. Other days, we may wish for something new or different.
But we cannot neglect the ordinary means through which we grow and then wonder why we aren’t maturing as we would like.
This principle applies beyond our spiritual lives, too. Whether we are learning a skill, becoming more effective in our work, or growing in our ability to serve others, we need to keep practicing.
The routines may seem small, but over time, they help build the capacity we need to thrive. Something exciting may get your attention, but repetition builds capacity.
I think this is worth remembering in a world where we are constantly exposed to other people’s achievements, breakthroughs, and visible results. We can easily become so focused on where we want to be that we lose sight of the importance of what we need to do today.
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Information alone cannot replace experience
We live in a time when information is readily available. With tools such as AI, we can access explanations, ideas, and answers to many questions almost instantly.
But information alone cannot give us the experience, maturity, and wisdom that come through walking with the Lord and faithfully putting His Word into practice.
We can read about prayer, for example, but we also need to cultivate a life of prayer. We can learn what Scripture teaches about godly character, but we must allow God’s Word to shape how we live, respond to others, and make decisions.
Over time, as we continue walking with the Lord, learning from His Word, and putting what we learn into practice, we gain experience. We also learn through our mistakes and through the different circumstances God takes us through.
This is not to say that experience automatically makes someone wise. We still need the Lord’s wisdom and must continue to submit ourselves to His Word. But growth involves more than simply gathering information. It involves living out what we are learning.
And that process takes time.
So, Why Is Growth So Boring? Or Is It Just How It Seems?
If growth seems boring, perhaps we need to stop despising the ordinary things that make up our days.
We may not yet see the fruit we desire in our walk with God, our character, our service, or the skills we are developing. But we can remain faithful in what He has placed before us today.
Let us keep reading His Word. Let us keep praying. Let us keep learning, practicing, serving, and doing the seemingly small things that are part of our present responsibilities.
Galatians 6:9 reminds us not to grow weary in doing good, because in due season we will reap if we do not give up.
We don’t determine how quickly everything grows, and we cannot force fruit to appear before its time. But we can continue sowing faithfully, trusting God with the process.
The next time you wonder, why is growth so boring? Remember the mango tree. Its years without visible fruit were not the end of its story.
You may be seeing little fruit today, but don’t despise the faithful sowing that growth requires.
May the Lord help us to be women who are willing to walk with Him faithfully, even in the ordinary and unseen things, trusting Him to produce the fruit He desires in us.
Watch the Video on YouTube
If you’d like to explore this subject further, I recently shared a video on the Formations of a Noble Woman (FNW) YouTube channel titled Why You’re Not “There” Yet | Why Is Growth So Boring? I share more of what the Lord has been teaching me about growth, consistency, and remaining faithful in the ordinary things He has called us to do.
You’re welcome to watch the video and subscribe to the FNW YouTube channel for more Biblical teachings and practical Biblical living as we continue looking to God to make us into the women He wants us to be.
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