Fact Finding: Growing by Seeing

Credit: Insights are from today’s Abide Above devotional

"Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord" (2 Peter 1:2).

We can never overvalue the hunger for God’s Word, for this hunger is the work of the Spirit drawing us into deeper knowledge of Christ. While salvation is a gift received apart from extensive Bible knowledge, spiritual maturity is inseparable from a steadfast pursuit of Scripture. Through His Word, God has granted us exceeding great and precious promises, and by these, we partake of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4).

Yet, growth in Christ is not about striving toward some distant standard or trying to become something we wish we were. Instead, true transformation comes by seeing—not by wishing, striving, or self-effort. The Word reveals what God has already accomplished: we are dead to sin (Romans 6:11), we are risen with Christ (Colossians 3:1), we are a new creation(2 Corinthians 5:17). As we behold these realities in Scripture, they take hold in our experience.

Imagine walking into a vast, dimly lit gallery filled with priceless paintings. The masterpieces were always there, but their beauty remains unseen until the lights are turned on. So it is with our life in Christ—the truth has always been real, but until we see it in His Word, we live as if it were not. Spiritual progress comes not from laboring in darkness but by stepping into the light of what God has already declared to be true.

"Come and see the works of God" (Psalm 66:5).

Prayer of Confidence

Father, thank You for the unshakable reality of who we are in Christ. Your Word reveals the finished work, and as we behold it, we live in the fullness of what You have already given. Today, we rest in the truth that we are dead to sin, alive in Christ, and fully equipped for every good work through Your indwelling life. We rejoice in the certainty that You have already provided everything for our growth and godliness. Our trust is not in our efforts but in Your completed work. Amen.

Final Thought

God’s Word is not a map leading to an uncertain destination but a window revealing what is already ours in Christ. Growth comes not from striving toward a goal but from seeing and walking in the light of what is already true.