How to Know You’re Growing in Faith: 7 Signs of Spiritual Progress
One of the most frustrating feelings in the Christian life is the feeling that you are stuck. You pray, you read your Bible, you go to church, but you wonder, “Am I actually growing? Am I making progress? Or am I just going through the motions?” The fact that you are even asking this question is a sign that God is doing something in your heart. A dead person does not wonder if they are alive. A stagnant person does not worry about growth. The very desire for growth is evidence of spiritual life. But how can you know for sure that you are moving forward in your faith? Here are seven signs of spiritual progress that the Bible highlights.
1. Your Hunger for God Has Increased
When you first come to Christ, you are like a newborn baby craving milk. But as you grow, your appetite deepens. You want more of God, not less. You are not satisfied with surface-level Christianity. You want the meat of the Word (Hebrews 5:13-14). You are drawn to prayer. You are drawn to worship. You are drawn to fellowship with other believers. Your soul thirsts for God. “As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God” (Psalm 42:1). If your desire for God is increasing, you are growing.
2. You Are More Aware of Your Sin
This sounds counterintuitive. You would think that growth means becoming less aware of your sin, but the opposite is true. The closer you get to a light, the more clearly you see the dust on the furniture. As you draw near to God, His holiness exposes the areas of your heart that need work. You become more sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s conviction. You no longer shrug off sin as “no big deal.” You grieve over it. You repent quickly. This is not being overly hard on yourself; this is the work of sanctification. The Holy Spirit is making you more like Christ, and part of that process is revealing what is not like Him.
3. Your Desires Have Changed
Before Christ, your desires were centred on yourself, pleasing yourself, satisfying your flesh, and accumulating things. As you grow, your desires begin to change. You no longer want to sin. You no longer find satisfaction in the things that once pleased you. You want to please God. You want to know His will. You want to glorify Him with your life. “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). But notice the order: when you delight in Him, He changes your desires to align with His. What you want becomes what He wants. This is a clear sign of growth.
4. You Handle Trials Differently
Everyone faces trials. But how you face them reveals how much you have grown. The immature believer panics, complains, and questions God’s love. The mature believer may still feel pain, but they press into God. They know that trials are not punishment; they are preparation. They know that “suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope” (Romans 5:3-4). If you can look at your trials and say, “God, I trust You. Refine me through this” you are growing.
5. You Forgive More Easily
Forgiveness is one of the most difficult things in the Christian life. But it is also one of the clearest signs of spiritual maturity. The immature believer holds grudges, keeps score, and seeks revenge. The mature believer has learned that forgiveness is not about excusing the wrong; it is about releasing the offender to God. They have experienced the grace of God in their own lives, and they extend that grace to others. “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32). If you find it easier to forgive now than you did a year ago, you are growing.
6. You Serve Others Without Seeking Recognition
The flesh craves attention. It wants to be seen and praised. But the Spirit produces humility. As you grow, you begin to serve others for their benefit, not for your applause. You give without expecting anything in return. You help behind the scenes. You intercede for others without telling them. You are more interested in building the kingdom than in building your reputation. “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” (Colossians 3:23). If you find joy in serving unnoticed, you are growing.
7. You Bear the Fruit of the Spirit
The ultimate test of spiritual growth is the fruit of the Spirit. Are you becoming more loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled? (Galatians 5:22-23). This is not about perfection; it is about direction. Are you moving toward these qualities or away from them? If you see growth in these areas – even small growth – the Holy Spirit is at work in you. And He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6).
Be Encouraged
If you look at your life and see these signs, be encouraged. You are not stuck. You are not stagnant. You are growing. Do not compare yourself to others. God is not calling you to be like someone else; He is calling you to be like Christ. Do not be discouraged by setbacks. Growth is not always a straight line. But as long as your eyes are on Jesus, you are moving forward. “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen” (2 Peter 3:18). Keep going. Keep growing. The best is yet to come.
