Weekly Devotional: Learning and Growing

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” — Matthew 11:29, NIV

For many of us as children we had time devoted to learning each day. We may have gone to school, had homework assignments, and maybe even participated in extracurricular activities. These things allowed us to learn and grow.

As adults, learning and growing is just as important now as ever, especially when it comes to our faith. Acquiring wisdom and knowledge is a lifelong journey. In Matthew, Jesus encourages us to learn from him. Here are a few aspects in which we can commit to learning in our lives:

“But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.” — Deuteronomy 4:29, NIV

As Christians, learning more about God and reading the Bible is the best way we can learn and grow spiritually. 

When we learn about the Bible and what God says in His word, we can develop spiritual maturity and deepen our relationship with God. In any type of relationship, no matter what it may be, we must choose to develop that relationship.

For example, we can compare our relationship with God to forming a new connection. If we meet someone and we do not stay in contact, never reconnect or spend time to hangout, we are not going to develop a friendship or really any type of relationship. However, if we spend time together, keep in touch and get to know that person we can began to develop a friendship with that person. The same is true of our relationship with God.

“The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out.” — Proverbs 18:15, NIV

Some people may hold to the idea that Christianity and other areas such as science cannot work together, and one must disprove the other. However, these concepts go hand-in-hand. Through learning about the world whether it be learning about science, history, culture, math, literature or any other wide variety of subjects, we can see God’s beautiful design even in a broken world.

Learning and gaining knowledge about the world can help us as we study the Bible, and it can give us the opportunity to embrace our purpose while we are here on earth.

“Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.” — Proverbs 1:8, NIV

In life, there may be times when we can seek knowledge and guidance from others in our lives. We can take these opportunities to learn from others who may know more than us.

For example, perhaps we have a mentor in our field who offers us advice and insights. Maybe we have to consult with a medical professional about how to take care of our physical or mental health. Maybe, we are going through a hard time in life and seek the expertise of someone who has gone through a similar experience.

However, when we learn from others, we must ensure we are weighing what we know is true with the words from others. It is important that whenever we take information it is from a reputable source and we use discernment. For example, if you want to learn about dance you would likely seek counsel from a dancer rather than a professional in another field such as nursing or criminal justice.

Although it is important to learn from others, we must know there is a time and place. In a classroom or through discussions is a great way to learn and grow. However, we must be careful when turning to things like social media to make sure we are not being distracted from the truth or being led with false information.

There is so much wisdom we can learn from the instructions of others, especially those further along in their Christian walks.

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” — 1 Peter 3:15, NIV

In life, it is also important to learn about your beliefs and know what you value. 1 Peter tells us to “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” How can we do this? In order, to be able to tell others about our hope, we must understand it. This process can differ depending on each individual.

As Christians, we can turn to prayer and meditating on God’s Word to discover more about our faith and where to place our beliefs. There may be other times when we learn about and form opinions on things not explicitly mentioned in the Bible. In these cases, we may choose to turn to other resources such as research, books and professionals to find knowledge.

Do you want to learn and grow while pursuing your degree? Grand Canyon University offers many degree options in different fields including those offered by the College of Theology. Learn more about get starting at our Christian campus and check out GCU’s Weekly Devotionals released every week.

Approved by the Global Outreach Coordinator of The Department of Spiritual Life on Aug. 25, 2022.