Week 5 – Spiritual Growth Development Part III

Celebration of Discipline Bible Study
Prepared by: Rev. Willetta Ar-Rahmaan
Week 5 – Spiritual Growth Development Part III


Last week we concluded the discussion of the baby/infant stage of spiritual growth. This week we will discuss the 2nd stage of spiritual growth, a toddler. The toddler stage of human development is the stage of eating solid food, trying to be independent, testing the boundaries, and having temper tantrums. This is the stage of discernment when a toddler learns to distinguish good and bad by touching, they mimic the actions of others, form words, constantly hearing the word ‘NO’ and often talk in full sentences. When we view the toddler stage in spiritual growth the discernment comes from the wisdom and knowledge of the Holy Spirit. According to the Old Testament (OT), “the Hebrews used several words to describe stages of a child’s growth. A very young child was called a “suckling,” which meant that he was still nursing. Then he was referred to as a “weaned one”; this change was an important milestone in a child’s life. When the child matured a bit more, the Hebrews said he was a “toddler.”

As we view our spiritual growth in the toddler stage we find ourselves being less dependent on others. We are becoming proactive in our devotion and being corrected and guided by the Holy Spirit. We are starting to understand and comprehend the meaning of Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross and using church lingo. Although we are still young in our spiritual journey we must be careful of any type of doctrine. When we are not fully grounded or rooted we can be easily led astray in our thinking, therefore we can use Matthew 13:4-6 to interpret this stage and the baby/infant stage. When we want to quickly grow up in our faith we are like these seeds.

When we are starting out on this Christian Journey, we are shallow in our thinking and talking. We do not possess all the tools necessary for spiritual growth. Our knowledge is an inch deep. This is why in verse 19-21 Jesus explains the aforementioned text. As a toddler in the faith we will hear many things, we will hear about tradition, we will hear about order and we will hear about positions but we must learn to discern what we hear and be doers of righteous. As we know this is the stage of let me do it by myself. When we find ourselves as unplanted seeds on this journey we may need to take a step backwards to focus on why we really confessed and committed our lives to Christ. Toddlers of the faith can be led away by smooth talk, the promise of wealth and riches or given “speckled green meat” as Dr. Katie Cannon said in a lecture some years ago. When our discernment hasn’t reached the maturity level we are not able to stand firm and combat the forces of evil. We find ourselves in a battle without armor. We are so eager to show people what we’ve learned so we talk to be heard and do things so others can see us because we are growing in our faith. When we grow and mature it is seen in our actions, our conversations and our lifestyle.

This is our foundational stage where we start the process of listening to God and allowing God to transform our minds and hearts. At this stage we must be careful not to get caught up with messy people or messy situations. When we start mimicking those who have a partial relationship with God we tend to follow them instead of the guidance of the Holy Spirit (Luke 6:49). When our spiritual development foundation is laid properly we are able to stand. As I mentioned the first year is very critical but it’s the first 5 to 7 years that where the word will be rooted in you. Our relationship with God is what we make of it. Take the time to know God for yourself, read and study your Bible to become familiar with the Word so it can have an impact on your life and those around you.

Going Deeper:
1. How deeply rooted in the word of God are you? Can others persuade you to do things I use to do?
2. Do you believe there are some cracks in your spiritual foundational development? If so, where do you think they came from?
3. What causes us to seek independence from God?




Next week we will look at the Stage of a Child/Teenager