How Do You Measure Your Progress?

Whether economic recovery has begun depends on how you read the statistics. Real estate values are only down 20% versus 40% a year ago. GDP, while still declining, is not as bad as a year ago. Not surprisingly, the Labor Department is reporting success: only 11,000 jobs were lost in October versus 100,000 a year ago. Do you get the picture? Progress is relative—everything is less bad than it was a year ago!

As a counselor whose occupation for 25 years has been to help people “progress” in their spiritual growth, I’ve observed Christians tend to measure their progress not unlike this “less-bad” technique, saying something like: “I am not sinning as much as I was a year ago—I don’t get as angry (or anxious or depressed) as often as I used to.” While one might argue there is some validity to this measurement, it seems to me it’s akin to saying “I must be getting better: I don’t use drugs as much as I used to.” In other words, the standard is too relative. Is there not a more substantial way of measuring our progress?

There is an inherent danger in measuring our progress by where we used to be. Instead of paying attention to our history (Phil. 3:14), our focus should be the pursuit of excellence (1 Tim. 4), and pressing on to perfection (Heb. 6:1). To do otherwise is to sanction imperfection and mediocrity. Paul says, rather bluntly, it is foolish to compare ourselves with each other, and measure ourselves by ourselves (2 Cor. 10:12). If the standard is I-am-better-than-I-used-to-be, don't we risk falling short of “attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13)? We will only be changed as we behold the excellence of Jesus' glory—not our progress! (2 Cor. 3:18) In the end, the only true measure of spiritual progress is whether we are like Jesus.