I desire to please God, and to really grow in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and in devotedness to Him. All true spiritual progress is, I know by the Holy Spirit of God, yet I feel I ought not to shelve, lay responsibility and just say in a fatalistic kind of was that I will leave Him to work it all out. What really are the things one should do in order to advance?
On will find in verse 12 to 16 of 1 Timothy 4 an answer to your question.
“Give attendance to reading...” It may have been that reading aloud in public (a common practice when books were scarce, having to be laboriously produced by hand) was what Paul specially referred to. Yet it must surely have included reading for Timothy’s own personal profit. It was to be pursued “Till I come,” since when Paul arrived Timothy could inform himself directly from Paul’s inspired lips. During his absence he was more shut up to inspired writings. We might then begin to answer Your question by asking the question, Do you read? You certainly say, “Oh! yes.” Then, another question, What do you read? It is unquestionably a great day for reading, and reading matter is mental food. Upon what do you feed your mind? Just take time to consider. Look over the books and papers that you have perused during the past month. Have the Inspired Writings and helpful literature based on the Scriptures had the leading place? If not, you need hunt, no further for an explanation of spiritual enfeeblement.
Give attendance to reading of a right sort and you will lay the solid foundation, for a super-structure of real progress.
“Neglect not the gift that is in thee.” Timothy was a man of great gift, you have no special gift at all. Yet you have some gift, some ability in the sense in which “gift” is spoken of in the passage Romans 12:6-216Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; 7Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; 8Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness. 9Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. 10Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another; 11Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; 12Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; 13Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. 14Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. 15Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. 16Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. 17Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. 18If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 19Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 20Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 21Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:6‑21). Read it and see if it be not so. Some of the things there enumerated are within your power. Well, then, do not neglect them. Cultivate an interest in the work and service of the Lord. Find out your niche in His interests and do not neglect the giving, the showing mercy, the loving, the serving, the praying, the hospitality, the sympathy, or whatever else it may be, that you can do for His Name. To have a definite interest in the work and service of the Lord and to cultivate it, is an immense help to the, growth and advancement of your own soul. In watering others you are watered yourself.
“Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them.” Paul thought it necessary to emphasize meditation, though he had already spoken of reading. It is so easy to read without thinking—especially today. The majority of people have become great novel readers. They let the story flow through their minds for the sake of the sentiment, or excitement, or thrill that it produces. Nothing much remains when it is all over, since there is nothing to remain—save, alas! in many instance, an incitement to folly and immorality. They are not led, to think, for there is nothing to think about. Now this habit of reading without thinking has become very common. The infection of it is everywhere. It accounts for much spiritual poverty. It is not what we eat that really nourishes us, but what we digest. Similarly, it is not what we read that enlarges us spiritually, but what we really assimilate by meditating upon it. If we would but take time for the quiet consideration of the things of God, and give ourselves “wholly to them”— i.e., be so wholly occupied with them that for the time at least, all other matters are excluded—we should indeed get on.
“Take heed unto thyself, and to the doctrine.” Having carefully considered the truth of God by meditating upon it we are now to turn to the consideration of ourselves and our ways in the light of the truth. This must by no means be omitted, inasmuch as it is just this which produces that alteration in our thoughts and ways that brings us into practical conformity to the will of God. When we read the Scriptures and meditate upon them, so that the truth becomes clear to us and is the food of our souls, do we go one step further and test ourselves by it? Has it become a habit with us to always inquire—How does this truth affect me? Am I in keeping with it? Do I walk in obedience to it? By so doing we bring ourselves under the power of the doctrine or teaching.
If we become diligent readers of the Word and of that which will help us in the Word; if we are not neglectful of the Lord’s work and interests according to our gift; if we cultivate meditation upon the truth and learn to apply the truth to ourselves so as to bring our own lives and ways under its sanctifying power, and if consequently we “lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us,” submitting thereby to definite alterations in our lives, we shall have the help and support of the Holy Ghost of God and we are bound to make spiritual progress.