This Sunday's Blog

If we’re honest, most of us expect spiritual growth to feel like a steady climb upward—clear progress, fewer struggles, stronger faith every day. But that’s rarely how it actually works. More often, it feels like two steps forward and one step back. One day you feel full of faith and clarity, and the next you’re wondering why the same old thoughts or struggles have shown up again.

You’re not failing—you’re growing.

There are seasons where everything seems to come alive. Scripture speaks deeply, prayer flows easily, and you sense God’s presence in a tangible way. Then there are other seasons that feel quieter, even stretching. Times when God seems less obvious, and faith becomes more about trust than feeling.

Both seasons are necessary.

The mountaintop moments give us vision and encouragement, but the valleys do something just as important—they deepen our roots. It’s in those quieter or more challenging seasons that our faith becomes less dependent on emotion and more grounded in relationship. We learn to walk with Him, not just when it feels good, but because we know He is faithful.

What really matters isn’t perfection—it’s direction.

It’s so easy to measure ourselves by how consistent we feel or how well we think we’re doing. But God looks at something deeper. Are you turning your heart toward Him? Are you still choosing to trust, even in the questions? Are you still coming back to Him, again and again?

If the answer is yes, then you are growing—whether it feels like it or not.

Growth in the kingdom often happens beneath the surface before it becomes visible. Just like a tree develops its root system before you see the fruit, God is at work in you in ways you may not yet recognize.

So if today feels like a step back, don’t be discouraged. Lift your eyes again. Turn your heart toward Jesus.

You’re still moving forward.