Why Is God’s Growth in Our Lives Often Slower Than We Expect?

General Faith
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Why Is God’s Growth in Our Lives Often Slower Than We Expect?

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If God is all-powerful, why does His work in our hearts sometimes feel like it’s moving at a snail’s pace?
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We’ve all been there—praying for change, longing for spiritual maturity, waiting for God to work in a specific area of our lives. And yet… days, months, or even years go by, and the progress feels painfully slow.

The Bible speaks of God as the Master Gardener, planting seeds of truth, pruning away what’s unhealthy, and cultivating growth. But gardens don’t flourish overnight. They require seasons of waiting, unseen root work, and conditions that don’t always make sense to us in the moment.

Still, the waiting can be frustrating.
Why does God allow growth to happen in such gradual steps?
If He could transform us instantly, why choose the slow process?

Is it because the journey is shaping us in ways the destination can’t?
Or does our pace of growth say more about us than about Him?

And what do we do in those seasons when we feel “stuck”—praying for breakthrough, but only seeing small, barely noticeable changes?

Is slow growth a sign that something’s wrong… or proof that something deeper is happening beneath the surface?

“All things take time to grow—especially the things God wants to last forever.”

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It’s called sanctification.

In Greek, the key word group is from ἁγιάζω (hagiazō), which means to make holy, consecrate, dedicate, or purify. It derives from the adjective ἅγιος (hagios), meaning holy or set apart. The related noun ἁγιασμός (hagiasmos) refers to sanctification, holiness, or the process and state of being made holy (1 Thessalonians 4:3, “This is the will of God, your sanctification”). In the New Testament, hagiazō is used both for the definitive act of God setting a believer apart in Christ (John 17:17, “Sanctify them by the truth, your word is truth”) and the ongoing transformation of character and conduct into Christ’s likeness (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

Both Hebrew qādash and Greek hagiazō carry the dual idea of separation from sin and dedication to God. Theologically, sanctification is inseparable from the cross, for it is through Christ’s blood that the believer is definitively set apart (Hebrews 10:10) and by the Spirit’s indwelling that the believer is progressively conformed to God’s holiness (Romans 8:13, 2 Corinthians 3:18).

J.

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Good question

I think we play a part that maybe in the process of transformation will help us be willing participants.

Does God go against our will???

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@Corlove13

No.

If man’s willingness arose from a human process, grace would not be grace, and salvation would partly rest on human capacity. Instead, Philippians 2:13 states that it is God who works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure, showing that even the willing heart is God’s gift, not man’s contribution.

Romans 3:10-11 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one, there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

Romans 8:7-8 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be, so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Ephesians 2:1-3 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins, wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience, among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

2 Corinthians 4:3-4 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost, in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

J.

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What you saying no to?

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If man’s willingness arose from a human process, grace would not be grace, and salvation would partly rest on human capacity. Instead, Philippians 2:13 states that it is God who works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure, showing that even the willing heart is God’s gift, not man’s contribution.

J.

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No.

If man’s willingness arose from a human process,

But that’s not what I said

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You said-

Does God go against our will???

I said-

No.

J.

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:smiley: oh

Exactly …..

in my opinion it is God that works in us to create a willing Spirit…

So my comment was maybe in the process of transformation….God is doing just that.

Like call and response

Or the pavlov theory..a type of training in seeing His faithfullness play out over and over again…

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Our will is not always willing to follow…..

Hence, God is not going to go against what you dont want for yourself.

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No, God does not force people against their will, but He changes the will through His grace so that a person freely comes to Christ. Philippians 2:13, John 6:44, Ezekiel 36:26-27.

J.

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What does it take to create a willing Spirit?

Experiences

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What is wrong with your statement is that it assumes a willing spirit comes from human experiences, yet Scripture teaches that a willing spirit is a work of God’s grace, not the product of life events or self-cultivation. Experiences can humble, warn, or awaken a person, but they cannot create spiritual willingness toward God, because the natural heart is resistant and incapable of producing it.

Psalm 51:12 shows David praying “Uphold me with thy free spirit” because he knows God must supply it. Ezekiel 36:26-27 declares that God will give a new heart and put a new spirit within, removing the heart of stone and giving a heart of flesh. Philippians 2:13 says it is God who works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure. John 6:44 makes clear that no one can come to Christ unless the Father draws him.

If a willing spirit could be manufactured by experience, then salvation would depend on the right set of circumstances rather than the sovereign work of God.

J.

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@Fritzpw_Admin my brother.
Name one process of growth that does not proceed slower “than expected” or slower than we would like it to. We are addicted to speed, and our addiction worsens by the milisecond.

I once taught a sunday-school class on this topic, and I brought in a rose bud. I suggested that we would all like to see the rose in full bloom, in all its glory. So,I began to pry open the bud before them. You can imagine the “glory” we witnessed.

The Spirit is expressing Himself through us by His fruit of patience, endurance, steadfastness, and faithfulness. Don’t rush a miracle. Even Miracle Max said “Don’t rush me sonny. You rush a miracle man, you get rotten miracles”

KP

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[“If a willing spirit could be manufactured by experience, then salvation would depend on the right set of circumstances rather than the sovereign work of God**.”]**

Why cant God use a circumstance?

To answer your other thought on what my Ideals assume:

I don’t think nothing is wrong with that, if that’s the assumption you think I was making.

To work in one the ability to Have a willing Spirit..doesn’t mean God doesn’t work with what He sees us desire, but can not accomplish on our own.

Nor does it mean that we are robots.

Think of those who offered up free will offerings is there action on their part when they offer up gifts to God.

How might I describe that process..in the real world?

God delivers you. You see it is Him, And He does it again, and again and again throughtout your journey. Aren’t these circumstanses God uses???

You even see Him answer your prayer for others and your children..etc

You can take the time to think of His goodness. And when He asked you to do something you are not combative you are willing…

Why are you more likely to do something for one person than another? Because of the relationship they have built with you by being there?

What things are you willing to do for someone and why?

However, In this case it’s not that God is not the force behind it- But to act willingly is based upon the space created in the heart for someone that has loved you.

So do you still have to act? Yes…Those who presented free will offerings were not forced. The shaping, or what’s behind the will comes from God’s interaction with man. But the action is on our part.

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Hence, I called it: call and response, or like the Pavlov experiment.

Training takes time…experiences, and circumstances

Lets look into Pavlov - maybe Al can can summerize

While we are not dogs we are creatures of habit.

Pavlov by AI

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@Corlove13

Salvation begins with God alone. Paul says “For by grace you have been saved” (este sesōsmenoi, perfect passive indicative, Ephesians 2:8) and adds “and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8–9). The unsaved are “dead” (nekros, Ephesians 2:1) in trespasses and sins. The dead do not rise by their own power. Jesus said “No one is able to come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him” (oudeis dunatai elthein … ean mē ho patēr helkō, John 6:44). The Father “calls” (kaleō) us “not according to our works but because of His own purpose and grace” (2 Timothy 1:9) and He “gives life” (zōopoieō) to whom He will (John 5:21).

After salvation the dynamic changes. Now it is synergistic because God works in the believer and the believer works. Paul commands “Work out your own salvation” (katergazesthe, present middle imperative, Philippians 2:12) “for it is God who works” (energeō) in you “both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). We are told “present your bodies” (paristēmi) as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God (Romans 12:1). We are told “put to death” (thanatoō) the deeds of the body by the Spirit (Romans 8:13). We are told “pursue” (diōkō) righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness (1 Timothy 6:11).

Scripture draws a line between two groups. The unsaved are dead, without God, without hope (Ephesians 2:12), slaves of sin (John 8:34). The saved are alive in Christ (Ephesians 2:5), commanded to “run” (trechō) the race set before them (Hebrews 12:1), to “fight the good fight of faith” (1 Timothy 6:12), to “endure” (hypomenō) to the end (Matthew 24:13), to “discipline” (hupōpiazō) the body and keep it under control (1 Corinthians 9:27).

God begins the work alone. Then He calls you to pick up the sword, the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17), and swing it until the race is finished (2 Timothy 4:7).

Hope this answer your questions.

J.

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No…it doesnt.. I had no questions ..if I did they were rhetorical trying to share why..God can use circumstances..and its still God…behind it…

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How did Ephesians pop into all this?

You do know that there are more than one type of salvation meaning, deliverence in this case.

In Ephesians 2:8 the salvation is: being delivered from death to life. Quicken together with Christ.

So now that you are quickened God can continue to save you in many other “ CIRCUMSTANCES “

That may create a willing Spirit.

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Man Himself is a circumstance …lol

Peace and blessing

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