Growth is one of life’s great pursuits. Everyone talks about it, everyone desires it, and in one way or another, we are all reaching for it. But here’s the truth: not all growth is good growth.
Some growth looks impressive on the outside but is hollow on the inside. Think of a balloon—it expands quickly, but one prick deflates it. Compare that to an oak tree, which takes years to establish roots, but once it does, it becomes immovable, providing shade, strength, and fruit for generations.
This is the difference between the wrong way to grow and the right way to grow.
The Temptation of Shortcut Growth
In our world today, speed is celebrated. Quick success stories, overnight wealth, instant platforms—they look glamorous. But growth that skips the process rarely lasts. Without the testing, the stretching, and the waiting, we don’t develop the qualities that sustain us when the storms of life come.
We want influence without discipline.
We want money without stewardship.
We want relationships without forgiveness.
We want wisdom without humility.
But God is more concerned with who we are becoming than with how fast we can arrive.
The Beauty of Process
True growth is never just about the end result—it’s about the person we are being shaped into along the way. Every season of waiting, pruning, and pressing is molding something deeper within us:
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Spiritually → Time in prayer and the Word anchors us, not just motivational quotes.
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Emotionally → Facing our wounds and allowing healing produces resilience.
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Financially → Learning stewardship prepares us for abundance.
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Relationally → Walking in love, communication, and forgiveness nurtures trust.
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Mentally → Discipline and humility sharpen our perspective.
When we honor the process, we gain more than outcomes—we gain character. And character is the one thing shortcuts cannot give us.
Fruit That Lasts
The right way to grow is often slower. It’s quieter. It doesn’t always get celebrated immediately. But it builds a foundation strong enough to carry the weight of what God has for us.
This month, I encourage you to examine your journey of growth. Are you chasing the quick way, or are you committed to the right way? Remember, growth that lasts will always come through the process, not around it.
Because when growth comes the right way, it doesn’t just change our circumstances—it transforms us. And that transformation is what truly glorifies God.
The question to carry with you this month:
Am I pursuing fast growth, or growth that’s right?