“So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding.” (Hebrews 6:1)

At the end of chapter 5, the writer of Hebrews urges us to embrace the call to grow spiritually. He warns us against the downward spiral that sees us respond to difficulties with a hardened heart, that eventually makes us stop treasuring the words of God. It’s as though we don’t hear them anymore – they have no effect on us whatsoever. This is contrasted with the upward spiral, where hardships increase our hunger to grow in God, causing us to move towards maturity as we equip ourselves to grow in wisdom.

Those caught in the downward spiral need to go over the basic Christian teachings again and again, as opposed to those in the upward spiral who grow in their understanding of what is right and wrong.

We’re halfway through the first month of the new year and, for many, the energy surrounding resolutions made two weeks ago might have already dissipated. Therefore, Hebrews serves as a helpful reminder that what distinguishes those in the downward spiral from those in the upward spiral is usually not their lack of desire to grow. Rather, what distinguishes those in one group from those in the other is their attitude towards the little things that hold them back. Some people prefer the safety of familiar, but unhelpful, patterns of behaviour to the vulnerability and insecurity that new experiences bring. It doesn’t mean we don’t recognise the deficiencies in not changing, it just means we’d rather live with those imperfections than with the uncertainty of change.

Let’s remind ourselves that growth and comfort seldom co-exist. Staying in our comfort zone may feel safe but it’s the quickest way to stagnate. Remember, the discomfort experienced when we embrace real growth is soon replaced by the thrill of new experiences we didn’t have before. What new experiences might be awaiting you, on the other side of your comfort zone?

Kevin Prinsloo

Pastor, White River Community Church