“But we must hold on to the progress we have already made.”

One of the enemy’s greatest strategies is to not always to pull us back into obvious sin, but to quietly convince us that we are no longer useful to God. He reminds us of our failures. He points out our weaknesses. He tells us we are not spiritual enough. Not qualified enough. Not consistent enough. Too tired. Too old. Too late.

Slowly, many believers settle into a passive Christian life where they simply say, “At least I’m saved.” They stop expecting God to use them. They stop praying bold prayers. They stop dreaming about serving Christ. They begin waiting for heaven instead of living purposefully on earth. I’ve believed this lie myself too.

However, Paul writes these powerful words: “But we must hold on to the progress we have already made.”

The Christian life is not about instant perfection. It is about progressive growth. And the journey is distinct for each one of us. God never expected you to become mature overnight. Spiritual growth happens step by step, season by season, lesson by lesson. The very fact that you are still seeking God, still reading His Word, still fighting sin, still desiring holiness, still returning to Him after failure—is evidence that God is working in your life.

The enemy wants you to focus on how far you still need to go. God wants you to remember how far He has already brought you.

Take a moment and think back. There was a time when you had no interest in prayer. No hunger for Scripture. No desire for holiness. No understanding of God’s voice. No burden for lost souls. But, look at you now. You may not be where you want to be, but you are not where you used to be either. That is progress.

Sometimes we become so focused on our current struggles that we forget the miracles God has already done inside us. We overlook the small victories, ignore the changes in our character, and we forget how patient God has been with us through the years.

The Christian walk is often like climbing a mountain through thick fog. You may feel frustrated because you cannot yet see the summit. You feel slow. Weak. Tired. Yet, every once in a while, if you stop and turn around, you suddenly realize how far you have actually climbed. The valleys that once trapped you are now far below you. The fears that once controlled you no longer dominate you the same way.

You are making progress even when it feels slow.

Many believers lose joy because they constantly compare themselves with others. They see someone more gifted, more knowledgeable, or seemingly more spiritual, and they become discouraged. God is not asking you to compare your journey with someone else’s. He is asking you to continue walking faithfully with Him.

Even the disciples of Jesus grew progressively. Peter denied Christ publicly, thrice. Yet later, he boldly preached before thousands. Moses once felt unqualified and afraid to speak. Yet God used him to lead a nation. David failed terribly at times. Yet he remained a man after God’s heart because he kept returning to the Lord in repentance and faith.

God works with imperfect people who continue walking with Him.

Perhaps today you feel spiritually dry. Maybe you feel like you wasted years. Maybe age, disappointment, failure, or discouragement has stolen your confidence. If you are still breathing, God is not finished with you. Do not throw away the progress you have already made.

A tree does not become tall overnight. For years, most of its growth has happened quietly underground, where nobody notices. The roots deepen before the fruit appears. In the same way, God often does His deepest work in hidden seasons of your life.

Do not despise slow spiritual growth. Continue walking. Continue trusting. Continue obeying. And most importantly, continue rejoicing. Because the same God who brought you this far will continue carrying you forward.

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. – Philippian 1:6

By Santosh Chandran, Bible League International Staff, New Zealand