Christian growth is downward. Not upward.
Not soaring.
As I read my daily Bible readings, Jacob’s wife, Rachel, dies while giving birth to Benjamin (Gen. 35:18 f.). Then I go to Psalm 12. “On every side, the wicked prowl, as vileness is exalted among the children of man,” (12:8).
It gets better; it surely does.
The assigned Mark 14 readings show Jesus, your powerful God and Savior, praying in the Garden as completely weak.
“Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from Me. Yet not what I will, but what You will,” (Mark 14:36). Then He turns to the disciples who fell asleep, abandoning Him.
While in His state of humiliation, Jesus was the strongest when He was weak, completely dependent upon His Father by faith.
So are you.
Regin Prenter writes of Christian Growth:
“Christian growth is, in contrast to all other growth, a growth downward in ever-increasing recognition of our own sin, our own guilt, our own death, our own condemnation.”
St. Paul writes: “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weakness, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong,” (2 Cor. 12:10).
I don’t know about you, but I don’t like feeling weak.
God owns a purpose.
To keep you weak, so you humbly trust in Him for all things.