Spiritual growth is a process.

灵命的成长是一个过程。

He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6

我深信那在你们心里动了善工的，必成全这工，直到耶稣基督的日子。-腓立比书1章6节

For three consecutive years, my son participated in a piano recital. The last year he played, I watched him mount the steps and set up his music. He played two songs and then sat down next to me and whispered, “Mom, this year the piano was smaller.” I said, “No, it’s the same piano you played last year. You’re bigger! You’ve grown.”

我的儿子连续三年都报名参加钢琴演奏会。在第三年的表演中，我看着他登上台阶、摆好乐谱。弹奏了两首曲子之后，他来到我身旁坐下，低声地说：“妈妈，今年这架钢琴比较小。”我说：“不，这跟你去年弹的是同一架钢琴，是你长大、长高了！”

Spiritual growth, like physical growth, often happens slowly over time. It is an ongoing process that involves becoming more like Jesus, and it happens as we are transformed through the renewing of our minds (Rom. 12:2).

灵命的成长，就像身体长大一样，需要时间慢慢地增长。这是一个持续不断的过程，在这当中我们的心意更新而变化，变得更像耶稣（罗马书12章2节） 。

When the Holy Spirit is at work in us, we may become aware of sin in our lives. Wanting to honor God, we make an effort to change. Sometimes we experience success, but at other times, we try and fail. If it seems like nothing changes, we get discouraged. We may equate failure with a lack of progress, when it’s often proof that we are in the middle of the process.

当圣灵在我们心里动工的时候，我们会意识到自己生活中的罪。为了荣耀上帝，我们会努力做出改变。虽然有时我们会成功，但有时在尝试过后仍以失败收场。如果看起来好像什么都没变，我们会气馁，也可能会认为没有进步就等于失败，其实这往往只显示我们还在改变的过程中。

Spiritual growth involves the Holy Spirit, our willingness to change, and time. At certain points in our lives, we may look back and see that we have grown spiritually. May God give us the faith to continue to believe that “He who began a good work in [us] will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6).

灵命的成长需要圣灵的工作、我们想要改变的意愿，以及时间。当我们在人生的某个阶段回顾过去时，也许会发现我们的属灵生命已经有些长进。愿上帝赐给我们信心，让我们在成长的过程中仍坚定地相信：“那在[我们]心里动了善工的，必成全这工，直到耶稣基督的日子。”（腓立比书1章6节）

Dear God, give me a desire to grow spiritually. 

I want to honor You with my life and experience 

the joy of the Spirit’s work inside of me.

亲爱的上帝，求祢让我渴望灵命成长，

我要以生命荣耀祢，

并经历圣灵在我里面动工所带来的喜乐。

Philippians 1:1-11New International Version (NIV)

1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,

To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:

2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. 8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

腓立比书 1:1-11Chinese Union Version Modern Punctuation (Simplified) (CUVMPS)

1 基督耶稣的仆人保罗和提摩太，写信给凡住腓立比，在基督耶稣里的众圣徒和诸位监督、诸位执事。 2 愿恩惠、平安从神我们的父并主耶稣基督归于你们！

为门徒祈求感谢

3 我每逢想念你们，就感谢我的神； 4 每逢为你们众人祈求的时候，常是欢欢喜喜地祈求。 5 因为从头一天直到如今，你们是同心合意地兴旺福音。 6 我深信那在你们心里动了善工的必成全这工，直到耶稣基督的日子。 7 我为你们众人有这样的意念原是应当的，因你们常在我心里，无论我是在捆锁之中，是辩明证实福音的时候，你们都与我一同得恩。 8 我体会基督耶稣的心肠，切切地想念你们众人，这是神可以给我作见证的。 9 我所祷告的，就是要你们的爱心在知识和各样见识上多而又多， 10 使你们能分别是非[a]，做诚实无过的人，直到基督的日子； 11 并靠着耶稣基督结满了仁义的果子，叫荣耀称赞归于神。

整理：于姊妹