Growing Pains of Immature Faith

*This devo goes along with our sermon series Faith - A Journey through Doubt, which can be watched here

Scripture: Hebrews 5:13–14 (NIV)

“Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”

Not all hypocrisy is malicious. Sometimes it’s just immaturity. Just like a newborn doesn’t come out walking and talking, baby Christians won’t always get it right — and that’s okay. The problem arises when we stay immature and never grow.

Pastor Cory called out a reality we often avoid: some Christians say hurtful things, not because they’re fake, but because they’re still forming. They’re spiritually young. They haven’t been feeding on God’s Word long enough to develop discernment or consistency.

Hebrews describes this beautifully. There’s a difference between “milk” and “solid food.” Milk is essential for new believers — it nourishes the soul. But eventually, we need to learn how to chew on truth, digest deeper teaching, and live it out with wisdom. That kind of maturity doesn’t happen by accident. It happens, “by constant use,” by walking daily with Jesus, letting the gospel change us one step at a time.

If you’ve been hurt by an immature believer, show grace — but don’t excuse the wound. Hold space for truth and growth. And if you realize you’ve been the one still sipping spiritual milk, it’s time to grow up in your faith. Not just by attending church, but by practicing the Word — forgiving, confessing, learning, loving, and maturing in community.

We all start somewhere. But God calls us forward. Becoming like Christ is a daily journey, not a one-time moment.

Prayer: Lord, grow me up in my faith. I don’t want to stay stuck in spiritual infancy. Teach me to hunger for truth, to live out what I learn, and to walk closely with You. Help me extend grace to others, just as You have to me. Amen.