Learn to Love the Process

Introduction

Most Christian men bail on spiritual growth because they hate the process. They want maturity handed to them—microwave faith, instant character, no pain. But God doesn’t build up weak men in comfort. He forges them in fire. Learning to love the process is a key component in discipleship.

The path to spiritual maturity is lifelong refinement by the Holy Spirit—the Forge. It exposes every shortcoming, forces new skills the church rarely teaches, and guarantees failure along the way. The end isn’t a finish line you cross and forget. It’s becoming a man of purpose, meaning, and unshakable faith in Almighty God. The destination isn’t arrival—it’s learning to love the Process itself.

Before you step into the flames, lock in these three mindset shifts. They’ll keep you from quitting when it burns.

Action Steps

1. Understand that your circumstances are largely irrelevant.

Regardless of where you’re at or what’s going on, as a Christian man your calling and purpose remain the same. You’re called to serve God. Your effectiveness in that service is not dictated by your circumstances, and certainly not by your feelings. It’s dictated by your mindset, attitude and response. Will you suffer in this life? Jesus says you will—John 16:33: “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” Notice how He ends it: “Take heart, I have overcome the world.” He’s telling us that what you’re going through is designed to strengthen and build you up. So stick close to Jesus (The Bible calls this abiding in Him), He has overcome. And so will you.

2. Understand that growth only occurs in struggle and discomfort.

Ease and comfort do not result in the building of character. Paul lays out a picture of the progression in Romans 5:3–5:

“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, [4] and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, [5] and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

The progression of Suffering → Endurance → Character → Hope → No Shame is a great picture of the process of spiritual growth I’m advocating. I want to be a man of endurance and character. That’s a foundation a truly meaningful life is built on. Don’t buy into the culture’s mantra of “Ease & Comfort.” It will weaken and destroy you.

3. When in the midst of the fire, always remember that God works through Process, often in ways and means we can’t see or even recognize.

While we may be able to identify the path that leads to spiritual maturity, how God does the work along the way is His domain, and His alone. As John told Nicodemus in John 3:8:

“The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

A life lived for, and in service to God is recognizable. How that life was forged, formed, and brought about? Not so much. God told Isaiah:

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD
[9] For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9)

How God brings about your maturity, and the tools He uses along the way are uniquely under His sovereign control. Love the process, don’t veer off the path, and you’ll see the end product of what He did in your life.

Conclusion

I’m calling men to do the hard things, the painful things, to overcome challenges and adversity. To do the things others won’t. To step up when others shrink. I’m calling men to love the Process that far too many others run away from. I’m calling men to be powerful, fearless men of God, men of unshakable faith, because they’ve been through the fire. Join me, and let’s go through the fire together!

Pete is Out.