Spiritual growth is sometimes tedious work—one small step at a time. Expect gradual improvement, not giant leaps.

The Bible says, “Everything on earth has its own time and its own season” (Ecclesiastes 3:1 CEV). Your spiritual life has seasons too. Sometimes you will have a short, intense burst of growth (spring) followed by a period of stabilizing and testing (fall and winter).

What about those problems, habits, and hurts you would like miraculously removed? It’s fine to pray for a miracle, but don’t be disappointed if the answer comes gradually. Over time, a slow, steady stream of water will erode the hardest rock and turn giant boulders into pebbles. Even a little sprout, given enough time, can turn into a giant redwood tree towering 350 tall.

To help you recognize your own spiritual growth, keep a notebook or journal of lessons learned. This is not a diary of events, but a record of what you are learning. Write down the insights and life lessons God teaches you about him, yourself, life, relationships, and everything else. These recorded lessons will become a sort of a spiritual growth chart. Record these lessons so you can review and remember them and pass them on to the next generation (see Psalm 102:18 and 2 Timothy 3:14).

When you forget lessons, you have to relearn them. Reviewing your spiritual journal regularly can help you remember what you’ve learned, sparing you a lot of unnecessary pain and heartache. The Bible says, “It’s crucial that we keep a firm grip on what we’ve heard so that we don’t drift off” (Hebrews 2:1 The Message).