Growth Alive

By Olagunju Muyiwa (B Pharm, M Pharm) - Emjosh

While penning down my thoughts and revelations during my study, a reality dawned on me;

which was the fact that I could write as fast as I did and with accuracy despite the speed, only because I had learnt the art of reading and writing over the years (over 30years).

As a child, a little over a year old, I was put into the Kindergarten class where I was only taught how to recite poems, rhymes, alphabets and a few numbers. I progressed to Nursery classes, where I kept learning more rhymes, how to recite the National Anthem, how to pray and other vital lessons. I also learnt how to write alphabets and numbers. Soon enough, I became conversant and good at writing and reciting the alphabets and numbers with minimal errors because I was also given homeworks and classworks on them.

Gradually, I started forming meaningful words. Those fundamental lessons I was taught earlier started making sense and were fast becoming applicable. I was also learning arithmetics (addition, subtraction and so on) alongside. Soon, I became really good over time in forming words, sentences and progressively writing letters and essays which contained several sentences.

Now, after so many years of training, learning, schooling and practising these skills over and over again, I have grown and matured so much so that in a few minutes, I can successfully journal down thoughts which will form pages of a book. All these and more could only happen because I grew and developed over time, getting better at whatever I did and improved on them. There was promotion from lower classes to higher ones with tougher and more demanding tasks, assignments, learnings and expectations.

This is exactly the way it works spiritually and in other aspects of life. Spiritual growth entails years of deliberate improvement, garnished with nourishment from just milk, to taking simple cereals, and then transitioning to taking solid foods including meat. Take note that there is a development process. This development process, however, takes time. A person will not become spiritually matured immediately after surrendering to God. It takes time. As time takes its course, there is the need to not be fed with junks so as to avoid stunted growth, but to feed on balanced diet.

There is also the need to keep exercising one's muscles spiritually through service to God and men (people). Serving God and people enhances your spiritual development. As growth takes place, development has to also occur concurrently, so as to attain perfection, just as God wants us to. Little wonder the scriptures talk about using your gifts which you will receive in the course of your spiritual growth and development, for the perfecting of the saints. It was also mentioned that there would be a time when we ought to become matured and fully grown in God, measuring up to the full stature of Christ (our role model).

Dear friend, seek to grow and develop in the things of God by feeding well on the Word and using your spiritual gifts and God-given abilities to serve God, bless and serve other people.

Remember the theory of "Use and Disuse" in biology by Jean Lamarck. It explains that the parts of an organism that the organism uses most, will undergo hypertrophy and will become more developed. Hypertrophy is the growth of a specific organ or tissue. Therefore, the more you use your gifts and abilities, the more developed they become.

You shall manifest.