From a young age, the world tells us men that we have to keep growing to earn our manhood—our muscles, our bank account, our dating history. Other, smarter voices tell us to grow our character and become better husbands, fathers, and friends. But without learning how to grow spiritually, all this important work is unsustainable.
Spiritual growth is the act of inviting Jesus into your life and becoming more like Him. Recently, I wrote about the journey of spiritual transformation that men need. Today, though, I want to provide practical tips on how to grow spiritually.
Because far too often, people talk about it in nebulous terms when, really, it should be the most concrete thing in your life. So, here are 15 tips for unlocking spiritual growth in men, broken out into three major categories.
Invite Spiritual Growth Into Your Life.
Even though I grew up in a Christian household, I remember when I truly decided to live for God. It came at the end of college when I thought I had everything I wanted—friends, girlfriends, and a shot at an NFL career. Still, I was insecure and unhappy. Thankfully, God was tracking me down. Suddenly, making my purpose to live for him made a whole lot of sense. If you haven’t yet started your journey of spiritual growth, I encourage you to begin immediately.
- Clear away any previous conceptions that you have of God, and let Him show you who He really is.
- Tell Jesus you believe He is the Son of God.
- Thank Him for dying for your sins and ask Him to fill you with the Holy Spirit.
- Commit to following Him for the rest of your life.
- Find a local community of believers to join.
Receive From God.
Once you’ve accepted Christ into your life, you can grow spiritually by receiving from God. Receiving might sound like a passive thing, but it’s not. I like to compare it to making a reception in football. I got to play with legends like Jerry Rice and Steve Largent. They both tirelessly practiced eying the ball with great focus, snagging and tucking it away with a vice grip so no one could knock it loose. It’s the same way you should approach your receiving.
- Be intentional. Set up a private space to be with God and receive your identity as His son
- Study Jesus’s life and apply His relationship with the Father to your own.
- Write down your questions, fears and struggles. Expect to see His answer and healing eventually.
- Pray from Jesus’ pattern of prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) and ask Him who you should pray for.
- Thank Him for everything He’s given you.
Bring God Into Your Daily Life and Relationships.
Even though we need to spend time alone with God, spiritual growth in men is not a private thing. Use the power of a team to catalyze spiritual growth by bringing Him into every moment of the day and inviting Him to change your relationships. This is where you really start to see the fruits of your progress. You might find that you have more patience, grace, and forgiveness.
- Pause and pray spontaneously throughout the day, alone or with someone if they’re open or need it.
- Find someone who has been where you are now to mentor you in your spiritual journey.
- Make a commitment to a friend or a few close friends to meet every week and help each other become more like Christ.
- Serve your wife and children the way Jesus served his disciples. When you focus on what you can give instead of want you need, you’ll be amazed at the joy and depth it will bring to your life.
- Give back by sharing your journey of spiritual growth with others.
Spiritual growth in men is not just possible—it’s what God asks from us. The good news? No one is perfect. But Jesus is, and He’ll be with you every step of the way.
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