Stunted Growth
1 Peter 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
Stunted growth is a reduced growth rate in human development. Once established, stunting and its effects typically become permanent. Stunted children may never regain the height lost as a result of stunting, and most children will never gain the corresponding body weight.
Stunting not only affects a child's health, making them more susceptible to disease and infection, but also impairs their mental and physical development, this means that children who suffer from stunting are less likely to achieve their full height and cognitive potentials as adults.
In same view with a plant that lacks chlorophyll which can't make it to undergo photosynthesis, so also is a life that lacks the true word of God will find it difficult to undergo efficient growth.
Many Christians are stunted today because of the wrong discipleship, teachings and believes they founded their faith on after salvation.
The spiritual ’milk’ Paul refers to is the basic gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ..the milk ensures the stability and growth for the baby
Like ’milk’ the basic facts of salvation in Christ are essential for life and growth and yet is easily swallowed and digested. Similarly, only infants can survive on this alone.
As any mother can verify, it does not take long before a baby figures out that milk is not very satisfying If, however, a mother were to continue to feed a growing child only milk as a newborn infant, that child will experience stunted growth and malnutrition.
Also, Christians cannot continue to feed their spirits on nothing but the basics of salvation without also suffering from stunted growth, malnutrition, and even starvation. Instead, it’s not long before that spiritual milk needs to be complemented with some spiritual ’meat.’
With the milk we have received at salvation which is faith in Christ Jesus, we must upgrade our intake so as to have a balance diet for efficient growth in Him.
Apostle paul analyse this in 2 Peter 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 1:6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 1:7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
To maintain a balanced growth in spirit a believer in Christ Jesus must add with the already received faith virtue, knowledge of the word, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and love. All these will ensure our life becoming fruitful and not stunted in the knowledge of Christ Jesus.
Check yourself today, are you not a stunted believer?
A stunted believer are the ones that are easily carried away by the wrong doctrines parading itself as the truth, such are the ones that are corrupted but the norms and traditions of this world, such are the ones that easily falls into the trap of temptations of the devil
A child that stop education at elementary will never have the understanding of the college. His ideas, experiences, believes and understanding will always be limited to the elementary level
Your level of understanding in Christ and the word of God will determine your level of growth in the spirit
A stunted child can never be reversed or cured, but a stunted Christian can be cured through the right word of God.
Check yourself, give your whole life into the word, consume it, and apply them to your daily living.
God bless you.
Prayer key:
1. Lord, thank you for the blessing of another day in Jesus Christ name
2. Lord, help me, I am stunted as your believer, help me to grow in you in Jesus Christ name
3. Lord, let me have a balance diet of your word, power and grace in Jesus Christ name.
4. Thank you for answered prayers in Jesus Christ name. Amen.