Can I be honest with you for a second? I've spent a lot of my faith journey wondering if I was doing it "right." Like, was I praying enough? Reading enough? Growing enough?
And then I stumbled back onto a passage I'd read a hundred times before, Colossians 2:6–7, and it finally clicked in a way it never had.
"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."
There it was. The secret to spiritual growth isn't some complicated formula or a checklist I needed to complete. It's about staying connected to the same source that started it all, Jesus.
Let me walk you through what I've been learning from these two little verses. And since we're heading into a "Fruit of the Spirit / Staying Rooted" kind of season, I also want to talk about preparation—because I’m realizing being rooted isn’t just about surviving… it’s the foundation that prepares us to actually grow and bear fruit.
Maybe you'll find something here that speaks to where you are right now too.
It Starts With How You Received Him
Here's something I never really thought about before: Paul tells us to continue the way we started.
Think back to when you first said yes to Jesus. For most of us, it wasn't because we had everything figured out. It was because we trusted Him. We believed. We stepped out in faith even when we didn't have all the answers.
So why do I sometimes feel like I need to complicate things now?
The truth is, spiritual growth isn't about becoming someone different. It's about going deeper with the same Jesus who met you where you were. The foundation doesn't change, we just keep building on it.
If you received Christ through simple faith and trust, that's exactly how you keep moving forward. No fancy tricks. No secret rituals. Just you and Him, one day at a time.
What It Means to Be "Rooted" (and Why It’s Preparation)
I love how Paul uses the image of roots here. It's such a visual way to understand what spiritual growth actually looks like—especially when I think about the Fruit of the Spirit.
Think about a tree for a moment. You don't see its roots, right? They're underground, hidden, doing quiet work. But those roots are everything. They determine whether the tree stands strong in a storm or topples over at the first gust of wind.
Our faith works the same way.
Being "rooted in Christ" means intentionally driving our roots deep, into His Word, into prayer, into community. It's the stuff that doesn't always feel flashy or exciting, but it's what keeps us grounded when life gets hard.
And this is where the preparation piece comes in for me: fruit doesn’t show up out of nowhere. Before there’s fruit, there’s hidden root work. Being rooted is how God prepares us—slowly and steadily—to grow love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in real life (not just in theory).
I'll be the first to admit that I don't always feel like doing the "root work." Some mornings, I'd rather scroll my phone than open my Bible. But I've learned that those small, consistent choices add up. They're building something beneath the surface that I can't always see.
Here are a few simple ways I’ve been trying to deepen my roots as spiritual preparation (nothing fancy—just faithful):
- Start with five minutes in Scripture (because something is better than nothing)
- Pray one honest sentence before I react (especially when I feel stressed, irritated, or anxious)
- Stay connected to faith-filled community (a friend, a small group, even a quick check-in text)
- Ask God to grow one “fruit” at a time (like: “Lord, help me practice patience today.”)
If you want to join me, here’s a question to sit with: What kind of fruit are you asking God for in March—and what “root practice” could help prepare your heart for it?
Being "Built Up" Block by Block
The second image Paul gives us is construction. We're not just rooted like a tree, we're being built up like a building.
And here's what I find comforting about that: buildings aren't constructed overnight.
God is adding to your faith piece by piece. Maybe this season He's growing your patience. Maybe He's teaching you kindness in a difficult relationship. Maybe He's building your trust through an uncertain situation.
I used to get frustrated with myself for not being "further along" in my faith. But this verse reminds me that growth is a process. God isn't in a hurry, and He's not expecting me to have it all together by next Tuesday.
Every small act of obedience is a building block. Every moment you choose trust over fear, kindness over criticism, faith over doubt, that's construction happening in your soul.
And the beautiful part? God is the one doing the building. Our job is just to show up and let Him work.
The Daily, Undramatic Stuff
Can we talk about something for a second? I think we often imagine spiritual growth as these big, mountaintop moments. The retreat where everything changed. The worship night where you felt God's presence like never before.
And those moments are real and wonderful. But most of spiritual growth? It happens in the ordinary.
It's learning to trust God when you're stuck in traffic and running late.
It's choosing not to snap at your spouse when you're exhausted.
It's biting your tongue instead of joining in on gossip.
It's saying "thank you" to God even when your circumstances feel frustrating.
I know that doesn't sound very exciting. But I've come to believe that faithfulness in the small stuff is where the real transformation happens. It's daily, often undramatic obedience, and it matters more than we realize.
Overflowing With Thankfulness
Here's the part of the verse that really gets me: Paul says we should be "overflowing with thankfulness."
Not just thankful. Overflowing.
I've noticed something in my own life, when I'm growing closer to Jesus, gratitude comes more naturally. And when I'm feeling distant or stuck, thankfulness is usually one of the first things to disappear.
Gratitude is like a spiritual thermometer. It shows us where we really are.
So I've been trying to build more thankfulness into my daily rhythm. Sometimes that looks like:
- Writing down three things I'm grateful for before bed
- Thanking God out loud during my morning coffee
- Sending a quick text to someone to let them know I appreciate them
It's simple, but it shifts something in my heart. When I focus on what God has done, I stop fixating on what I think He hasn't.
If you're feeling spiritually dry right now, can I encourage you to try this? Start with gratitude. Let it overflow into the rest of your day. You might be surprised at how it changes your perspective.
This Isn't Passive
One more thing I want to mention, and this is important.
Spiritual growth isn't a "let go and let God" kind of thing where we just sit back and hope for the best. Paul uses active language here: continue to live, be rooted, be built up.
We have a part to play.
Yes, God is the one who transforms us. But we're invited to participate in that process. We walk. We trust. We obey. We engage.
Think of it like a garden. God provides the sun and the rain, but we still have to show up and tend the soil. We pull the weeds. We water the plants. We do the work: and then we watch God bring the growth.
So if you've been waiting for spiritual growth to just happen, maybe this is your invitation to take a step. Open that Bible. Say that prayer. Join that small group. Show up, and trust that God will meet you there.
A Prayer for the Journey
If you're ready to dig deeper into your faith this season, here's a simple prayer you can use:
Lord, thank You for meeting me right where I am. Help me to stay rooted in You: not in my own strength, but in Yours. Build me up day by day, even in the small and ordinary moments. And let gratitude overflow from my heart as I continue to walk with You. I trust that You're doing a good work in me. Amen.
Keep Growing, Friend
Spiritual growth isn't about perfection. It's about connection. It's about staying close to Jesus and letting Him do what only He can do in your heart.
So wherever you are today: whether you feel like you're thriving or barely hanging on: know that God isn't finished with you yet. He's still building. Still rooting. Still working.
And that's the real secret: just keep walking with Him.
If you're looking for simple reminders to carry your faith into your everyday life, take a look around the Light of Damaris shop. We've got products designed to encourage you right where you are.
Here's to growing together. 🌱