Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States
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How can I grow spiritually? I'm trying to pray, repent, confess, take communion; but I feel like I'm not moving forward. I may read a spiritual book and then feel excited to follow what the book says. However, this excitement only lasts for a few days after which I go back to who I was. Please can you lead me?

We often need to remind ourselves of the parables our Lord has used to  help us grow in our spiritual growth: The "Parable of the Sower" (Matthew 13:1-9; Mark 4:3-8; Luke 8:4-8) introduces four types of landings of the seeds: wayside, stony ground, ground of thorns, and good ground. Like the metaphor, our spiritual lives resemble all four of these types of grounds as our potential for spiritual growth evolves. How are you praying? Repenting? Confessing? Partaking of the Holy Eucharist? Reading spiritual material? The emphasis is on how.
  
What is my goal?...Or rather, what is my ultimate goal? We need to ask ourselves this question in order to prepare our hearts a good ground stripped off of any blemishes. The ultimate goal is your personal relationship with God. The continuum of our spirituality is sometimes burdened with worldly interruptions and concerns. Our inner spiritual growth is the beautiful bond that exists  between the individual and God the Almighty in quiet reflective moments of thankfulness and prayer.

So when you ask Him, in all sincerity, He will not turn you away empty. Continue with a fervent heart and in moderation, with a priest's guidance, to pray, repent, confess, partake in the Holy Eucharist, and read spiritual literature.

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened...., how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!" (Matthew 7:7-12).
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