“so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.”

Ephesians 4:14 ESV

The point of growing into a mature follower of Christ isn’t just to check off a box marked “done.” The goal is to truly become Christ-like: to not just act like a Christian but to be one. To love, demonstrate patience, give generously, and so on, not because we are supposed to, but because it’s who we are.

So how can you tell when you are spiritually changing or just going through the motions?

God doesn’t leave us in the dark here. There will be evidence, and much of it is internal. Read through Ephesians 4:14-16. As you transform, you will be able to see at least four characteristics at work in your life:

Truth: You know God’s Word well enough to maintain doctrinal stability and spot false teachers or trendy fads.

Relationships: You speak the truth in love, and your commitment to people help them grow (and allows you to say hard things in a loving way).

The Church: You participate in the Body of Christ with a purpose only you can fulfill; you know your gifts, function in those gifts, and bear spiritual fruit.

Love: Your love for God and others is expanding; you measure your life by love rather than activities, and you are others-focused instead of self-focused.

If you see growth in these four timeless areas, you can trust that God is doing work within and through you, and you’re becoming the person He longs for you to be.

Prayer: Lord, help me move forward toward that goal each day, and help my outside match the change on the inside.