Having a baby gives you a new perspective on growth. It seems that every day he either develops or improves some new skill.

成為父母，會讓你對成長有一些新的視角－孩子似乎每天都在發展或增進一些新技能。

One day it is learning to turn himself over from back to stomach. Another it is being able to grab objects in front of his face. Then another he is holding is own bottle. And now he can flip from stomach to back as well. And my goodness is he getting tall!

某天，寶寶正在學習將自己從仰躺翻身趴臥；另一天則是能夠抓住他面前的物體，接著他可以拿穩自己的奶瓶。現在他也可以從趴著翻身仰躺了。我的天哪，他還持續長高了！

There are of course days where he takes steps back, but babies learn and grow in ways that are surprising, because they seem foreign.

當然，有時候他會倒退一步，但嬰兒的學習和成長方式卻令人驚訝，因為這個模式看起來很陌生。

When you get older, growth looks very different. Physically, you are more likely to break than grow bigger or stronger. And you may learn plenty of new information, but you very rarely learn new skills.

當你年紀增長時，成長的模式看起來非常不同。從身體上來說，你更有可能逐漸衰老，而不是變得更大或更強壯；你可能會學到很多新資訊，但你很少學到新技能。

And then there are the things we struggle with – vices or addictions or just bad habits; character flaws or personal weaknesses. They never seem to go away for good, even when we think we are making progress.

還有一些我們不斷掙扎的部分─壞習慣或是成癮；性格缺陷或個人弱點。即使我們認為自己正在取得進步，但是它們似乎也永遠不會消失。

As a Christian this can be frustrating, because are we not supposed to be going through sanctification – a process by which God teaches and enables us to overcome our sin?

身為基督徒，這個事實令人沮喪，因為我們不是應該經歷成聖——上帝教導我們並幫助我們克服罪的過程嗎？

A teacher of mine used to say, the problem is that spiritual growth is not like a baby’s – it is not linear. Instead, our growth is like a helix: we go round and round, circling back to the same problems, but with an upward direction.

我的一位老師曾經說過，靈性的成長不像嬰兒那樣——它並不是線性的。相較之下，我們的成長像一個螺旋軌道：我們一圈又一圈，重複回到同樣的問題，但方向是向上的。

Each of us never ceases to grow and to change. And as much as it is in our power, we should put in the effort required of us. Even babies practice the things they learn. And as much as it is up to God, we should trust to his goodness, for he who promised is faithful.

我們每個人都在不斷成長和改變，只要我們力所能及，就應該付出我們所需要的努力。即使是嬰兒也會不斷練習他們所學到的東西。雖然成聖取決於上帝，但是我們應該相信祂的良善，因為祂的應許是信實的。