Written by: Teresa Devine, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Choosing between personal development and Christian spiritual growth can be confusing. You might be focusing on one over the other. In this article, I cover the benefits of both and why we need to merge them together.
Personal development or Christian spiritual growth: How do we choose?
Mark walks the office corridors displaying posters about personal development and productivity. The absence of beliefs and values is disheartening.
Mark is an astute business executive and a devout Christian. One night, as he stayed late to review a crucial project, he discovered a question that kept him pondering until morning. It read, “Where do personal development and Christian spiritual growth intersect?”
Distinguishing personal development and Christian spiritual growth
Personal Development: Mark knows personal development is about improving in different areas, like health, emotional well-being, physical fitness, and life skills. The main objective is to reach one’s full potential and experience fulfillment.
Christian Spiritual Growth: He also knows Christian spiritual growth centers on a relationship with God. It’s about deepening the understanding of God’s Word to be more like Christ and to care for others. Christian spiritual growth includes developing character traits that mirror Jesus, like patience, love, grace, and compassion.
But how do both intersect?
Integrating both for a fulfilling Christian life
For Christians, personal development without spiritual growth is an oxymoron. Thinking one can exist without the other, as a believer, is also a fallacy.
Christians who prioritize personal growth through self-help books without gaining Biblical knowledge end up feeling hollow and unfulfilled. Then wonder why.
On the flip side, a spiritual approach that disregards the importance of developing other skills and capabilities to be effective in the world is misleading. Both are necessary.
Living in the World, Not of the World: The Bible teaches Christians to be in the world but not of it. God and His ways come first, but Christians still need to navigate earthly situations and challenges. Merging personal development with Christian spiritual growth equips believers with the tools to excel both professionally and personally while staying anchored in their faith.
Being Effective Ambassadors: To be effective disciples of Christ, it is crucial to learn God’s ways through Biblical scripture. It’s not optional. In the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, Jesus teaches us God’s virtues and how to mobilize His teachings. Christians' understanding determines if they bring peace or conflict in different areas, like business or academia. Christians should merge personal development with spiritual growth with the emphasis on Biblical study.
Effective Growth: Just as a tree requires both depth (roots) and breadth (branches) to withstand storms and thrive, so do Christians. Personal development provides the breadth, expanding one’s horizons and abilities, while Christian spiritual growth is the ultimate foundation.
Concluding Mark’s late-night contemplation
As Mark mulled over the intersection of personal development and Christian spiritual growth, he concluded that the two were not at odds.
He remembered a time when he prioritized personal pursuits over his faith and felt empty. So, he delved deep into Christian activities, to the point of neglecting his professional responsibilities. Fumbling but kept learning God’s nature along the way.
The results
Through this process, he gained the understanding that if God is first, His ways come first. Therefore, Mark’s life became harmonious. He made God his top priority instead of separating personal development from Christian spiritual growth.
He learned God’s character and began weaving his new understanding into daily life, which transformed his natural behavior, view of others and the world. Relations with his wife, children, co-workers, and everyone in his path improved. With Christ-like character in action, Mark’s life is overflowing today.
Not only an accomplished executive, Mark is also a well-respected member of his community.
In our journey, merging personal development with Christian spiritual growth ensures we don’t just succeed in our worldly endeavors within an empty shell, but also lead a life rich in God’s purpose, love, and divine connection.
Like Mark, let’s strive to find and live in God’s harmony.
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Teresa Devine, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Teresa Devine is a former Fortune 500 executive giving up her lucrative tech career to help Christians go deeper spiritually, heal past pain, and live vivaciously. During her career, the demands took over and life's priorities were upside down. God revealed how to prioritize Him first and her life transformed. Teresa shares proven methods to help align with God and unleash the incredible life He intended. Teresa is CEO of Teresa Devine Co. LLC, creator of 24/7 Purpose®️ Academy and MindTrap Method™️ advanced training. Her mission: Swap the daily grind for daily impact.
