You may still struggle with a weakness you prayed about last year—or even five years ago. You may know more of God’s Word than you once did and have more faith, yet some spiritual battles seem just as difficult. You sincerely want to change, but growth feels painfully slow. You may wonder: Am I making enough progress? Am I making any?

These questions can be even harder because Christians are commanded to grow. II Peter 3:18 says, “Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 4:15 adds that we are to “grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.”

Grow up to Christ. In all things. That is a high calling. Sometimes that lofty goal can spur us on to do more. Other times, especially when progress feels slow, it can leave us discouraged.

Yet slow growth is not the same as no growth.

One of Jesus’ parables helps illustrate this concept: “So is the Kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; and should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knows not how” (Mark 4:26-27).

A farmer plants seed, waits and eventually sees a sprout appear. Early in the process, nothing obvious can be seen, yet beneath the soil, growth is already underway.

Something similar happens in our Christian lives.

Psalm 1 describes a righteous person as “like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in his season” (vs. 3). Before fruit appears, a tree must first become firmly established where it has been planted. That takes time.

Jeremiah 17 likewise compares a person who trusts in God to “a tree planted by the waters” whose roots continue drawing nourishment even when heat and drought come (vs. 7-8). The emphasis is not on rapid growth but on enduring growth.

The slow and steady work God is doing in us can be easy to miss. But learning to recognize it can help lift us out of discouragement and press on.

What to Look For

Examining ourselves is a necessary part of Christian growth. David prayed, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psa. 139:23-24).

David wanted God to help him see what was really happening in his heart. We need the same help. Paul also instructed Christians, “Examine yourselves, whether you be in the faith; prove your own selves” (II Cor. 13:5). Self-examination helps us identify what may be holding back our growth so we can repent and keep moving forward (Psa. 34:14; Acts 2:38).

Yet our progress can feel even slower when we look in the wrong places. One common mistake is comparing ourselves to others. It is not wrong to notice godly qualities in someone else and want to emulate them. Paul himself said, “Be you followers of me, even as I also am of Christ” (I Cor. 11:1). We can and should learn from good examples.

But comparison becomes harmful when we use someone else’s strength as a reason to feel inadequate or spiritually behind. We may see another member’s patience, knowledge, warmth or consistency and conclude that we are not growing at all. Instead of being inspired, we become weighed down.

The Bible warns against that kind of measuring. Paul wrote that those “measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise” (II Cor. 10:12). Comparing ourselves with others can distort our view because we usually see their visible fruit, but not the years of correction, effort, failure, repentance and growth that produced it. It can also cause us to miss the specific work God may be doing in us.

So where should we look?

Naturally, we look for changes that are obvious: Have I finally overcome this weakness? Am I better at controlling my temper? Do I know more of the Bible than I did a few years ago? Those are worthwhile questions, but outward actions are not always the first evidence that God is at work.

Sometimes a sign of growth is not that a struggle has completely disappeared, but that we see it more clearly than before.

A person who once talked over others without realizing it may begin catching himself in conversation. Someone struggling to control his thoughts may identify wrong thinking sooner and more quickly redirect his mind toward what is right. A person who once resisted correction may begin listening with an open mind before defending himself.

The struggle may not be over, but the response is changing.

This is an important distinction. Proverbs 23:7 says, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” Peter speaks of “the hidden man of the heart” (I Pet. 3:4). God is not just concerned with outward behavior. He is also working on the inner person who produces that behavior.

The fruits of the Spirit should be a major focus of our growth. Galatians 5 lists “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance” (vs. 22-23). Yet these qualities cannot be measured like fuel in a tank or rain in a gauge. We may not be able to assign an exact amount to our love, peace or patience, but we can look for signs.

Are we quicker to repent? More willing to apologize? Less defensive when corrected? More likely to pray before reacting? More consistent in fighting a wrong thought before it takes root? These small changes reveal that God is strengthening the hidden man of the heart.

While we should avoid comparing ourselves with others, we can seek outside perspectives. Often, a spouse, close friend or minister will recognize growth in you long before you do.

Being Pruned

Spiritual growth is not linear. Sometimes what can feel like a setback is actually part of the growth process.

In John 15, Jesus said: “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit” (vs. 1-2, New King James Version).

God’s pruning can come through trials, correction and repeated struggles. A repeated battle with our human weaknesses may teach us humility by reminding us how much we need God’s help. Correction or advice from a minister, spouse or friend can become an opportunity to develop teachability instead of defensiveness. A long health trial can deepen our trust in God as we learn that lasting change comes through His strength, not our own.

James wrote, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith works patience” (1:2-3).

He then added, “But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing” (vs. 4).

Notice that James does not simply tell us to endure our trials. He tells us to let patience do its work. God has a purpose for every hardship He allows.

Pruning may not feel productive in the moment, but God can use it to produce humility, patience, trust, endurance and deeper dependence on Him.

None of those qualities appear all at once. They grow when we yield to God in small ways over time. Little by little, we begin responding differently because God is changing us.

It Takes a Lifetime

Every spring, we examine ourselves before Passover and reflect on the spiritual lessons God has been teaching us. During the Days of Unleavened Bread, we picture a lifetime of coming out of sin and living God’s Way. Then in the fall, at the Feast of Tabernacles, we look back with gratitude at the blessings, experiences and growth God has provided since the previous Feast.

These are natural occasions to reflect on how we are doing. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” God’s Holy Day seasons help us remember that meaningful change is often measured over time, not merely from one day to the next.

Our Christian lives are also made up of seasons. Some of them bring obvious progress. A long-standing habit is finally overcome. A difficult relationship begins to heal. A lesson learned through years of trials suddenly becomes clear. A new responsibility helps us see how God has been preparing us.

Other seasons feel very different. We wrestle with familiar struggles. We feel stagnant. We may feel overlooked.

In those slower seasons, we should not automatically assume nothing is happening. If we are staying the course, repenting when we fall short and continuing to seek God, we can be assured growth is still taking place beneath the surface.

At all times, we must use the tools God gives us. Prayer, Bible study, meditation, fasting and exercising God’s Spirit are called the tools of Christian growth for a reason. If we faithfully use these tools, we can trust God will produce growth—even when the results are not dramatic.

Slow growth is not a reason to stop seeking God. Proverbs 24:10 warns, “If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.” When growth feels slow, the answer is not to quit. It is to keep on keeping on.

We live in an impatient age. We are used to quick answers, quick communication and quick results. That mindset can influence the way we think about spiritual growth. We naturally expect progress to come quickly.

Yet God sees time differently. Peter wrote, “One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (II Pet. 3:8). Isaiah describes God as the One who “inhabits eternity” (Isa. 57:15). He is patiently working toward a purpose that extends far beyond this physical life.

Throughout the Bible, God often took years to prepare people for the work He had in mind. Joseph spent years in slavery and prison before leading Egypt (Gen. 37:28; 39:20; 41:41-43). Moses spent decades in Midian before God sent him to lead Israel (Ex. 2:15; 3:1-10). David was anointed king long before he actually wore the crown (I Sam. 16:12-13; II Sam. 5:3-4).

God methodically prepared all of these Bible greats before He entrusted them with responsibility. He is doing the same with us.

The Eternal View

The next time you feel frustrated about your spiritual progress, remember that God is accomplishing more than you can see—and He will not give up on the work He has begun. Paul wrote, “Being confident of this very thing, that He which has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6).

Our Creator takes the eternal view of our growth, and so should we. He is developing sons and daughters whose character will endure forever.

Character building is not easy. But as Paul wrote, “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Rom. 8:18). The reward is worth the process.

Do not become discouraged if your spiritual growth seems slower than you hoped. Continue making faithful choices each day. When God reveals something you need to change, respond. Repent, adjust and keep moving forward.

If we continue to yield to the growth process, Christ promises great reward: “He that overcomes, and keeps My works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations” (Rev. 2:26).

Growth may feel slow now, but God is preparing something eternal. Keep yielding to Him. Keep using the tools He has given us. Keep trusting that the Father who began the work knows exactly how to finish it.