When Growth Feels Slow

Grow Again: Roots before fruit, depth before display

I’m in a bit of a waiting season. And to be honest, I’m a little bit over it! Because what it’s about is giving back the ‘thing’ I’m holding to Jesus again, and again, and again... Ever found yourself in one of those situations?

Maybe your growth isn’t about waiting, perhaps one of these resonate:

• Forgiving the person who rattles you, again.

• Knowing when to stay silent in the face of silliness* from others, again.

• Extending patience to your children (or colleagues, or spouse) when you’re already tired, again.

• Saying yes to serving when no one notices or thanks you, again.

• Trusting God with your finances instead of clinging tighter, again.

• Praying for the person you don’t naturally get along with, again.

• Choosing rest instead of running yourself into the ground, again.

• Resisting the temptation to compare your journey to someone else’s, again.

• Showing up to worship when you don’t “feel it,” again.

• Opening your Bible when it only feels like words on a page, again.

• Choosing gratitude instead of spiralling into complaint, again.

• Bringing your anxious thoughts to God instead of rehearsing them, again.

*read immaturity or they-should-know-better-and-not-be-behaving-like-this

Maybe you’ve been in the same season too long. Your spiritual life feels flat, your prayers feel rote, and growth seems out of reach. You wonder if you’ve stalled, or worse, gone backwards.

But the truth is this: growth doesn’t always announce itself with fireworks. More often, it whispers. It happens in the ordinary. It looks like showing up again when nothing feels different.

Hebrews 5:14 reminds us: “But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” Notice that phrase: by constant use. Maturity is not microwaved. It’s trained into us over time, through repetition, through ordinary faithfulness.

We want transformation to happen overnight. But, often in God’s kingdom, growth is more like the slow stretching of roots than the sudden burst of a flower. And roots matter. Roots anchor us when storms come. Roots quietly draw up nourishment long before the fruit ever shows.

Tiny, faithful actions matter:

• Five minutes of prayer when you’d rather check out.

• Offering kindness to someone who tests your patience.

• Choosing to listen instead of defend.

• Opening your Bible even when it feels dry…

Each small obedience is like watering a seed. You may not see the fruit today. But underground, your roots are deepening. God is strengthening what no one else can see. And over time, that hidden growth will sustain visible life.

So if you feel stuck, don’t despise the smallness of this season. What feels flat may actually be formation. The Spirit is working even in the unseen, preparing you for what’s ahead.

Keep watering the seed. Keep showing up. Because one day you’ll look back and realise—God was growing you all along.

Lord, thank You that You are faithful in the unseen. Teach me to value the quiet, hidden work of growth. Give me patience to keep showing up, and courage to keep choosing obedience in small things. Strengthen my roots in You so that I might stand firm and bear fruit that lasts. Amen.

Let’s chat and grow together:

Where might God be inviting you to keep showing up in small, faithful ways this week?

So take heart—your quiet faithfulness is not wasted; in God’s timing, what’s hidden will one day bear fruit.

Growing with you,

Em 💛

P.S. Save the date for Office Hours with Em
I’ll be live in the Substack chat on Saturday 25th October at 6pm UK / 12pm CST / 1pm EST. Pop in for a chat, ask a question, or let me know how I can be praying for you.

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