A few weeks ago, at Community Bible Study, in the middle of our small group discussion of Matthew 21:23-27, I found myself scribbling in the margins of my study book—
Know me
Grow me
Show me
and I thought, Where in the world did that come from? It felt disconnected from our discussion about religious leaders challenging Jesus’s authority, but it also seemed like something I should pay attention to. I decided that if God really wanted me to dig deeper, He would keep reminding me.
And He did. As forgetful as I can be, those particular six words kept coming to mind, and I flipped back to that page almost every time I worked on my Bible study questions.
I began asking the Holy Spirit to help me understand what He wanted me to learn, and two more words snuck onto my list –
Slow me
Know me, grow me, show me, slow me…. It all felt so personal. Isn’t this one of the most incredible aspects of our lives in Christ? When God speaks to your heart, it is personal.
I know, and more importantly, God knows, that I’m a wanderer prone to doubt. He has been kind to use what I consider a flaw to draw me closer to Him. What a precious and undeserved gift.
God knows us personally and intimately; He loves who we are and who we are becoming. Our faith is marked by constant transformation because God desires to shape, refine, and mold us into the image of Christ. Transformation is a lifelong process that begins when we hear and receive the gospel. It requires our complete surrender — allowing God to know us, show us Himself, grow us spiritually, and slow us down when we’re tempted to run ahead of Him.
The best way for us to know God is through His Word. I sifted those eight little words through the sieve of Scripture, and relevant, powerful, and sweetly familiar verses began to surface:
Know Me
“Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”
Psalm 139:23-24 ESV
True, God is all-knowing, but He wants us to invite Him to truly know us. It’s less about what He already knows, and more about willingly opening our hearts to Him, allowing Him to examine us, reveal hidden sins, and work in our lives. In asking God to know me, I’m surrendering my deepest thoughts, struggles, and desires, trusting Him to align them with His will.
Show Me
“Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.”
Psalm 25:4-5 NIV
Grow Me
“Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
James 1:4 NIV
Spiritual growth does not happen overnight. Becoming a mature disciple requires seasons of refinement, trials, and learning. Often, God allows difficulties to strengthen our faith and develop perseverance. While these seasons may be challenging and no one wants them, they are pivotal for our growth. Perseverance in our faith is hard but holy work.
Jesus used the analogy of a vine and branches in John 15:5, saying, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit.” Growth happens when we abide in Him, allowing His Word and Spirit to shape us.
Slow Me
“Be still, and know that I am God.”
Psalm 46:10 NIV
In a world that glorifies busyness, God often calls us to slow down and rest in Him. We know this, and yet, we struggle with obedience. When we rush ahead of His timing, we risk making decisions out of impatience or self-reliance rather than faith. Slowing down allows us to hear His voice more clearly and walk in His perfect peace.
Jesus modeled this beautifully. Despite His demanding ministry, He frequently withdrew to quiet places to pray (Luke 5:16). If Jesus needed moments of stillness, how much more do we?
Know me. Show me. Grow me. Slow me. Eight little words with big divine encouragement that can lead to a sweeter, deeper, and more fulfilling relationship with Jesus for you and me both. I’m so thankful for the Spirit’s little nudges to explore what God had for me that day. Sometimes returning to simple lessons in our faith is the spiritual comfort food we need.
How has the Holy Spirit spoken to you lately? What is God stirring in your heart today?
Thank you for this message. It was an answer to prayer that I had tried to pray regarding a couple of things I had been struggling with. This message helped put things into perspective for me. You are my favorite writer. Thank you for your obedience.
Hey B :),
I’ve had a non-stop day, and this is the first moment I’ve had to reply, but OH MY WORD! What a kind encouragement you’ve offered to me! Thank you so much!! To get to be part of God speaking truth into your heart is incredible…what a blessing to you and me both! xoxo
Robin, I’ve been dwelling on these words and passages this morning, soaking them in. This is so good. Just where I needed to be today. Thank you!
Gail, I just played the podcast for my husband and he loved the Scriptures the Spirit led me to. I hope those divinely inspired words have been ministering to you <3. Thank you for taking time to share!
Dear Robin………One of my favorite scriptures is “Be still and know that I am God”. I have so much on my plate right now, and they have been there for years. I try to be patient, but sometimes I fail at that as I would just like to get 1 thing completely finished. So far that has not been my experience. Yes, at one time I was moving too fast, ahead of God although I did not realize that I was. After reading so many of your (incourage) community devotionals, I knew that what I was doing was wrong and I have slowed down as your words told us today. At am almost 78 years old and I think my mind was telling me, you don’t know how much time you have left on the Earth so you NEED to get these done. The one thing and I have mentioned this so many times is I yearn to have my son and daughter-in-law to allow me to see and/or at least talk to him. He was 11 when this started and he is close to 15 years old now. I’m sure you know how much boys mature in different ways in those 4 years. What does he look like, and what is he interested in, and how is school going. I just breaks my heart every single day. I don’t know what else to do. My ex-husband’s dementia is much worse now, but I only find out through his friends that I talk to. He will not see me. I don’t hate him, I had to divorce him due to my own safety and the fact that my son disowned me as his mother. I have no one else as all my relatives and parents have passed on years ago. My Holy Spirit talks to me every day and we have a very wonderful connection. He helps me so very much and is so caring and loving. There is so much more to this story, but I have already took up too much of your time. It was so good to see your writing today Robin. I always love reading your devotionals and I will certainly save this one and re-read it for it has given me some more HOPE. Hope and love and trust are the most important things to me now. So many of these 100 people who live in the facility where I live that I thought I could trust have betrayed me in a terrible way. They do not like the clothes I wear, but as God says, I am what I am and have always been well dressed. I can’t change to sweatshirts and sweatpants. it is not me. Take care Robin and I send to you my prayers to Jesus for having placed you in my life. I smiled when I opened my email today and saw your name. Please have a blessed week. Love to you as well……………………..Betsy Basile
Betsy, I will be praying for you.
Betsy, I love this line: “My Holy Spirit talks to me every day and we have a very wonderful connection. He helps me so very much and is so caring and loving.” I am so so thankful you hear from God in such a personal way! From your previous comments, I know how hard you’ve had it in life, and I’m so sorry. I’m praying for you today. <3
Betsy, my Mom always wore dresses & skirts. She’d garden in pants or shorts at the beach but the dress or skirt was back on once that activity was over. She also wore heels until she broke her hip for the 2nd time. I had to buy sweatpants each time she’d get sent to PT because she did not keep them after discharge. Don’t let others’ opinion of your clothes matter a whit. I’m sure you are beautiful & you brought a smile to my face even in the midst of the hard of your story. Blessings (((0)))
Robin,
Thank you for your devotion. To answer your question, The Holy Spirit is prompting me to rest in the beauty of spring! I’m so grateful for this season. While it is busy, God provides peace for a good night’s sleep. I sing His praises.
I love seeing the Lord’s work in your life, Lisa. What a wonderful perspective…so many reasons to praise Him (Spring…beauty…peace…sleep!) 🙂
Robin thank you for today’s message. Love it. I found in my own life. I say many of us that are saved have also. We can get so busy in our lives. That we don’t have the time to sit before God and be quiet for that long. That Satan the Devil put things in our mind when we go to spend time with God in saying our prayers and reading his word and spend that quite time with God reading his word. Letting it speak to us through the Holy Spirit to say what God is saying to us through it. Satan the Devil I found in times like this. Will put things in our mind to make us think I have to do this and this by a certain time. Or keep us busy in other ways that we have less time with God to be listing to him. In this we are not spending the time with God to hear what he has to say to us as these distractions get the better of us. So we just read God’s word quickly and say our prayers as quickly as possible. As we think must get the jobs I have done. As no one else will do them I have to do them. So we are not letting God speak. I have been there. Also Satan the Devil will get people to distract you by saying can I talk to you. You stop reading the Bible and saying your prayers to listen to them. They only do that when your reading the Bible and saying your prayers. As Satan the Devil puts things in there mind to get you stop spending time with God. As they say they have something to tell you. You have to stand firm and say when I finish my time with God in reading his word and prayer. They might say that is Satan making them by having them think I must tell you now. Satan will do anything to stop you spending time with God. I said this to my Husband in the past your being a Satan helper as your distracting me and trying to get me to listen to you stop spending time with God. I say I’ll talk to you when finished reading the Bible and saying my prayers. He will puff say it will not take long what I have to tell you. Expecting you to listen to him stop your time with God. That Satan again using one of his many tactics to do what he can to stop your time with God. I say to my Husband unless it an emergency what you have to tell me. You have to wait until I am finished my time with God. My Husband don’t like that. But I have to stand firm. I bet others are the same. If you don’t do this you’ll not hear God speaking to you. Love Dawn Ferguson-Little Enniskillen Co. Fermanagh N.Ireland xx in my prayers all in incourage
Hi Dawn, Thank you for reading and commenting. You are such a consistent friend to incourage! So thankful you found our community all those years ago!
So encouraging! Definitely 8 words to be dwelling on. I think the biggest thing otherwise is to try and not be so hard on myself. I think one of the biggest things I have to learn is just to remember that I don’t have to measure up to a standard in my faith. It’s more just about a willingness to connect with Him.
Amen! My sentiments exactly!! Thank you God for your Word through this author/writer ❤️‼️
🙂
Love this!
(By the way, we are also currently studying Matthew at my local Community Bible Study.)
I think all of CBS does the same study at the same time?? Isn’t that special–so may people all over the world delving into God’s word together/apart? 🙂
Robin, this is a keeper of encouragement! Those familiar verses put together so beautifully & meaningfully makes me pause & praise. My inner teenager is waving my snapping fingers & shouting “FACT”! Thank you for sharing! Blessings (((0)))
Ruth!!!! That image of you celebrating God makes me SMILE! Thank you for reading and taking time to share this precious thought. xoxo