Years ago, my wife once received a 5-year-old in her school. Her parents said she never eats pepper. All her food was plain. It sounded strange. My wife said, “Give me time. She will change.” In less than two weeks, she was eating peppery meals. Her appetite had been trained.
Friend, you need to develop the right appetite. Those who handled you at the start of your Christian journey shape your doctrine and growth trajectory (2 Timothy 1:5, 3:15). Many were handled wrongly and never exposed to the right meal. They age in church but not in scriptural understanding (1 Corinthians 14:20).
Some grow in church but not in Christ. They attend services but are not in touch with Christ and sound doctrine. They keep learning yet never come to the knowledge of truth (2 Timothy 3:7). To be solid with lasting impact, you must develop real hunger for the Word (Jeremiah 15:16).
Your maturity is measured by how much sound doctrine you can endure (Hebrews 5:11-14). Today, a scripture-filled sermon is called boring. Preachers then tell stories to engage minds. But you can engage minds without engaging spirits. Until your spirit is engaged, no real transformation happens (2 Corinthians 3:18).
Some think sound doctrine must be enjoyable to be true. If not sweet, they discard it. The Bible says to endure sound doctrine, not merely enjoy it (2 Timothy 4:3). To endure is to stay with it until you are transformed, even when your flesh dislikes it. Spirit growth rarely pleases the flesh (1 Corinthians 3:1-2).
Many believers are head-full but heart-empty. Their spirit is starved and famished (Amos 8:11-12). Their appetite craves only what excites the mind. The Word is food for the spirit. How much scripture do you study daily? Appetite can be lost but also regained. Return to the Word and to Bible-centered fellowship. Your life depends on it (Luke 4:4).
‘Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Church
Akure, Nigeria