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Some of us hesitate to commit ourselves to developing an intentional plan of growth that requires accountability or relationship with others because we believe spiritual growth is a personal and private matter. We choose to believe each person develops in his or her own way at his or her own rate.
This is an aberration from the truth. The idolatry of individualism has influenced even the way we think about spiritual growth. So much of the teaching on spiritual formation is self-centered and self-focused without any reference to our relationship to other Christians.
This is completely unbiblical and ignores much of the New Testament. The truth is that Christians need relationships to grow. We don’t grow in isolation from others. We develop in the context of fellowship.
Over and over again in the New Testament we find this basic truth: Believers need relationships with each other to grow! Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another …”
God intends for us to grow up in a family.
Question: Who is your spiritual family? If you don’t have one yet, how could you go about finding some Christian brothers and/or sisters to support you on your spiritual walk?
About this Author: Rick Warren
Tags: church, community, Devotional, fellowship, Men, relationship, Rick Warren, spiritual growth, truth
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my brothes and sisters from my church are my spritul family
I really appreciate this devotional because I often find myself isolating myself from people thinking that I can grow with God on my own and thinking that I don’t need anyone when my relationship with others gets to difficult and even hurtful. It’s good to be reminded that no man is an island and God created us with a desire to be in relationships with one another. While or relationship with God is personal it is never a private matter.