Growing Character

"Many of us prefer to stay at the threshold of the Christian life instead of going on to construct a soul in accordance with the new life God has put in." Oswald Chambers

"Constructing a soul" is a picture of Christian growth. Growth is a necessary part of the christian man's experience, an aspect of beling alive spiritually. All living things grow and renew themselves.

A Christian man's growth is in the area of his soul. It is in the soul where character becomes like that of Jesus, so you participate in His "Divine Nature" (II Peter 1:4).

Do you need to work on or construct your soul? The answer to that question depends on the condition of your soul. (Read: Mark 7:12, Hebrews 3:12, Matthew 12:34, 15:19, Jeremiah 17:9). What comes out of us verbally and behaviorally is evidence of the condition of our soul...the way we react before we consciously control our tongue or behavior or imagination. (Relate to lust or anger)

"We fail because we are ignorant of the way we are made, we put things down to the devil instead of our own undisciplined nature." Oswald Chambers

We are to construct our soul, participate in the growing of our character. We grow and change through 'intentional' choices. These intentional choices become intentional habits. There are at least five intentional choices to make:

1. Intentionally choose to get to know the God of Scripture.
2. Intentionally give priority to Bible study and the Spirit's interpretation of the Scriptures (John 16:13).
3. Intentionally pray everyday for "the eyes of your heart to be opened" (Ephesians 1:18)
4. Intentionally refuse to be content with head knowledge. Intentionally ask God to give you "Spiritual heartburn" (Luke 24:32)
5. Intentionally choose to be in relationships that encourage and edify you in your personal spiritual growth.

(Some of the material on 'intentional choices' is based on teaching by Dudley Hall and revised and added to by the author.)