Paul had a succession plan for his ministry. That’s why he mentored Timothy and instructed him, ‘Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.’ The words ‘that your progress may be evident to all’ mean that growth is measurable. Question: as you look back over the last few years of your life, in what areas have you grown? Before you read on, take a moment, and think carefully about how you answer that question. In childhood, our bodies automatically grow. But some of us bring into adulthood a subconscious trust that spiritual, emotional, and mental growth follow a comparable pattern. We think that as time goes by, we inevitably improve. We’re like cartoon character Charlie Brown in Charles Schulz’s Peanuts comic strip, who once said, ‘I think I’ve discovered the secret of life – you just hang around until you get used to it.’ The problem is that you don’t get better by just living; you must be intentional about it. No one improves by chance. Personal growth doesn’t simply take place on its own. And when you’re finished with your formal education, you must take full ownership of the growth process because no one else will see to it for you. The ultimate growth manual is your Bible. It’s ‘living and powerful’ (Hebrews 4:12 NKJV). Everything you need to know and everything that’s required for you to grow can be found in its pages. So, open your Bible. Delve into it. Read it. Meditate on it. Apply its principles to your life, and you will be amazed at how you grow.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.