The Cyclical Nature of Spiritual Growth
When You Understand the Patterns of Spiritual Growth You Can Experience Far Greater Results and Peace on Your Journey
“Then God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and for years…” Genesis 1:14
“There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven. A time to give birth and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted….” Ecclesiastes 3:1–2
Linear and Cyclical
God designed the physical universe, including our lives, so they are both linear and cyclical.
Linear: The created universe had a definite beginning, approximately 13.75 billion years ago, and it will have an eventual end.
God created all of this, and us individually, with clear purposes in mind that are being worked out according to a divine plan. God’s purposes for this age, will at some point be complete and He will start a new age with a new heaven and new earth.
This life does not go on in never ending cycles, according to the Bible. It is linear, with a beginning and an end.
Cyclical: On this linear path, there are God-given cycles at work. Genesis 1 tells us this was also part of God’s design from the very beginning. One of the reasons for stars and galaxies is for “signs and seasons, days and years.” Signs in the sky, seasons, days, and years are cyclical.
Physical and spiritual growth also happen in cycles. Jesus said the kingdom of God was like a seed planted in the soil that would go through phases as it grows to maturity. He also said that He is the Vine and we are the branches and God would, at times, prune us branches so we would grow more fruit, long-term. (John 15:1–5)
Seasons of growth and seasons of pruning.
To Experience Growth, Work With the Season You are In
One of the main reasons many of us get frustrated in trying to follow God’s plans and is because we don’t recognize which part of the cycle God has us in right now.
If it’s planting season and we’re trying to harvest, we’re going to be frustrated. Or if it’s harvest season and we’re planting, that seed is not going to grow.
There are times to give birth and times to let things die.
There are seasons to plant, water, harvest or even uproot.
There are times to kill plans and outdated strategies, and times to heal and restore so that God-dream can keep going.
Whether its a spiritual growth goal, improving a ministry or a business, or even physically working out it is worth the prayerful reflection needed to step back and see which part of the cycle we’re in right now.
Revelation Cycles
Along with process cycles, like some of the ones I just listed, there are also cycles of godly revelation.
When I first became a Christ-follower I read in the Bible how much God loved me, and I believed it. Despite all kinds of questions I still had about why the world had so much evil and trouble if there is a loving God, I came to believe that God showed His love clearly by His willingness to die for my sins on the cross.
The moment I prayed and asked God to forgive me for all my sins and I received God’s gift of eternal life by faith, I experienced a wonderful measure of God’s love and joy in my own soul. It was real, it was refreshing, and so filled with hope and new life.
But since then, at different times, I’ve had newer and deeper revelations and experiences with God’s love. God’s love is so deep and broad and high and vast, there is no way I can fully grasp it or experience it at one time.
Most of the time these love revelations have come as I read/study/meditate on Scripture. Sometimes it’s come as I hear a song or worship God. I’ve also experienced it in nature or through the attitude and actions of another person.
I experience the love of God, deeper, broader, or in another way. I’ve gone through a fresh cycle of His love.
But then God takes me to another aspect of His life. For that season, I’m learning more deeply about His brilliance and creativity. Another season, it’s His faithfulness and how I can be more faithful. Then, maybe, a fresh encounter with His joy, or peace, or power.
Different levels of revelation that come at different times and in different ways.
Seasons and Cycles Keep It Consistent AND Fresh
Because we can count on seasons being consistent, we have the needed stability to plan and move forward with reliable foundations. We don’t wonder if the sun will rise tomorrow or that summer will follow spring.
Seasons also give us variety and keeps things fresh. Like most of us, I enjoy spring, summer, and fall more than winter. But if it was always summer or always fall, that could get stale for me. Even subtle differences in climates that don’t change much, helps.
Variety being the spice of life has real truth to it.
The same is true with God’s work in our lives. He will emphasize certain things during certain seasons because He knows how we best function.
Recognizing what part of the cycle we’re in and what God is working on during that season allows us to best cooperate with Him and experience the greatest results in our lives.
How do we know what season we’re in? That’s for another article, this one is getting too long. I will write that tomorrow, so if that’s of interest to you, take a look for How to Recognize The Season You’re In.
If you want more FREE resources on how to live a Jesus-Centered, Jesus-Empowered Life take a look at www.TruVineMission.com
If you want more help in clarifying and then accomplishing your God-given purposes, take a look at www.MarkFurlongCoaching.com.
