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I would like to say that spiritual growth is not about suppressing who you are but discovering your true identity in Christ.
Sometimes, I find myself studying the Word of God. It said:
Lord, my heart is not haughty, Nor my eyes lofty. Neither do I concern myself with great matters, Nor with things too profound for me. Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, Like a weaned child with his mother; Like a weaned child is my soul within me. Psalm 131:1-2
A weaned infant is a striking image of a child of God growing beyond the infancy phase of a Jesus follower. A weaning child is still close to the comfortable bosom of care, not yet moved into the unknown. The weaning process for some young goes beyond what is best for the child by delaying the next growth phase. In contrast, a weaned infant is able to still enjoy the security of a mom’s presence with the calm and quiet that comes from trusting in a transition from nursing milk to eating food with more substance. To be weaned is to be hungry for growth.
When you are born again into the faith family of following Jesus, you enjoy the beginning phase of the milk of God’s word to nurture your soul. However, in time, you move from the milk to the meat of the Word (Hebrews 5:13-14). For some, the weaning takes longer than others. For those who come to faith in Christ later in life, weaning from the world’s influence may take longer. Weaning from my will to God’s will. Weaning from getting riches to giving riches. Weaning from self-reliance to God-reliance. Weaning from outside distractions to an inner desire to follow the Spirit’s lead is a lifelong process of humble prayer and repentance. Weaned to love.
Charles Spurgeon masterfully unpacks the spiritual weaning process as curbing desires: "Curb desire, and you have struck at the root of half your sorrow. When your desires are held within bounds, your temptations to rebel are ended. The strife is over. Your soul is quieted and behaves itself becomingly. Now, also, your resentments against those who injured you are gone. You were angry with a certain person, but your irritability has ended with your weaning—you see that God sent him to do this, which has troubled you, and you accept his hard words and cruel actions as from God, and you are angry no more. We do not get weaned all at once from everything. One person here has been weaned from confidence in riches, but perhaps his heart, his affectionate heart, is clinging to some human love, some mortal joy."
Weaning grows the fruit of true love.
Curbing desires doesn’t imply a life of deprivation but rather a redirection of focus. As we resist the temptations of the world, we create space for the fruits of the Spirit to flourish within us—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. In Matthew 16:24, Jesus calls his followers to deny themselves, take up their crosses, and follow Him. This denial of self is a transformative process where our desires are reshaped by the principles of God’s kingdom. It is through this surrender that we experience genuine spiritual growth.
As you yield your desires to God, His Spirit works within you, molding your character into a reflection of His love and grace. Spiritual growth is not about suppressing who you are but discovering your true identity in Christ. By curbing earthly desires, you open yourself to a deeper connection with God, allowing His transformative power to shape you into a vessel of His purpose and glory. Are you weaned off the world or weaning? God’s love nourishes the weaned soul!
Prayer: Heavenly Father, grow me by your grace and love to wean me off the need for worldly desires and consume me with your desires through Christ’s love and in Jesus’ name.
Application: What earthly desire do I need to replace with a heavenly desire?
Related Reading: Proverbs 1:5, 4:18; Romans 5:15, 20; Ephesians 4:15; 2 Peter 3:18
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