When a vessel starts out to sea, there are certain things by which the pilot measures his speed and direction, such as bouys, lighthouses, and casting the lead for soundings; but when he gets well out to sea all these things are left behind, and he measures his speed by the log, and his direction by the compass and the stars.

There is something very similar to this in the different modes by which a spiritual person measures his progress in the divine life. In the earlier stages of Christian life we measure our growth in grace by things easily recognized, and that lie close about us, such as our feelings, our contact with other Christians, our visible success in doing something for the Lord; but when we launch out into a life of unlimited faith, and God takes us into a real supernatural life with Himself, He carries us beyond the shore signs that we used to measure by, and we learn to make our progress by more hidden things, like the log at sea, and by far-off signs like the polar magnet and the heavenly bodies.

It generally puzzles a believer when he makes this transition from shore-line measurements to finding his latitude and longitude on the high seas.

 There are many things in the life of faith which is best for us not to know about ourselves, such as just what God thinks of us, just what success we are having, just how much good we are doing, and just in what graces we excel, and what our strength in any given direction is; for the simple reason that we are living a life of faith, and if we knew all the facts about our spiritual progress we should largely cease the living of a life of real faith. While ignorance in certain things is essential to perfect trust in the all-knowing One, yet there is much knowledge even about our growth in grace, which it is our privilege to have, and which we need to encourage us onwards.

1. One of the earliest signs that we are getting into deep water with the Holy Spirit is the clear spiritual discernment between things and beings; between blessings from God and a secret personal union with Him; between the coming and the going of various spiritual emotions and a steady gaze and leaning upon the immutable character of God. This can come only by a revelation from the Holy Ghost to the soul who has passed through certain definite works of grace, and learned over and over again to repose in the Lord Jesus instead of trusting in its feelings about Jesus. It is very easy for souls to learn the use of certain terms in religious language, before they have the real experience of the words, and oftentimes young Christians will fluently expatiate on the difference between the “blessing and the Blesser,” when it is all head talk, and they soon betray their need of a blessing or radical work of grace.

A deep, thoughtful Christian will never speak triflingly or depreciatingly of the blessings of God in forgiving or cleansing the soul, and to so speak indicates ignorance and a lack of reverence for our most holy God. But after the most radical and powerful of blessings, there will come to the soul that is led by the Holy Spirit a time of extraordinary revelation of the three personalities of the Godhead, and a deep, inward discernment of receiving these divine persons into the heart, and a weaning from various emotions and states of feeling, and a most powerful attachment to God Himself. When this becomes a sweet, powerful reality in the soul, it may be taken as a proof of progress.

2. Another sign of real advancement in the Christ life is a growing disposition to appreciate little things. Youth is always impressed by something big and startling, and this is true of youthful experiences in grace as really as in the physical life. It takes age and much experience and a wide, thoughtful mind to see and feel and to appreciate little things, little mercies, little friendships, minute answers to prayer, little whisperings of the Holy Ghost, delicate tokens from God, infinitesimal leadings of Providence, little attentions from strangers, and little crumbs of comfort in daily life. The closer we get to God the stronger our vision becomes to see the value of little things, and the more tender our hearts become to feel the touch of little mercies, whether they flow out from God directly or indirectly through His creatures.

A shallow-hearted or narrow-minded saint, regardless of his high profession, is constantly betraying his lack of divine union by depreciating little things, and by neglecting them in his manners, his spirit, his words, and his dealings with others.

The difference between a man of scruples and a man of deep love is, that the scrupulous man is always stumbling over small things and making them occasions for quibbling and doubting, and a wretched religious bondage; whereas the soul of deep love makes small things an occasion for gratitude, for charity, and for the adoration of God, by a broad-hearted appreciation.

Just as a millionaire will appreciate making a few pennies, and the great artist will appreciate one additional touch of the brush on a picture, and a great musician detect an almost imperceptible note in music which poorer and less trained minds would fail to notice, so it is a proof of spiritual progress when the soul sees God in the smallest things and appreciates Him everywhere. The greater the mind the more easily it comprehends the smallest details, hence the infinity of God is proved as much by the inconceivable wonders of the insect world as by the magnitudes of solar systems. In like manner the greater the heart the more minute and delicate the affections.

3. Another true mark of spiritual progress is the art of going slow with God. This is the opposite of laziness or tardiness, which is the essence of disobedience. Going slow in divine things never comes in a Christian life until the impetuous will, the rash judgment, the hasty expression, the feverish excitement, and the green zeal of the soul have all been crucified and chastened by many a painful experience into a quiet, thoughtful, measured pace, which indicates a real likeness to God. In fact, there is no one thing in a saintly life more supernatural, more like the image of God, than the art of divine recollection and going slow. When Christians are first sanctified they are in a great hurry to grow, they are impatient about learning patience, they lose humility in being anxious to be humble, their quick decisions check their charity, and it requires many a mortification, many an apparent backset, in either the outward or inner life, to burn out the creature hastiness. To have a soul all on fire with divine love and zeal, like a great engine under an enormous pressure of steam, creeping slowly through a crowded street so as not to hurt the children, yet with a capacity of running seventy miles an hour, is the picture of a loving saint going slow with God.

To be slow in our words, in our judgments of people and things, in our prayers, in our religious reading, in deciding on any line of work, in our interior recollection and outward conduct, to be always occupied and never in a rush, this is the carriage of spiritual progress, the quiet, majestic movement of a soul that is putting on the habit of the royal majesty of God.

Young Christians think it is almost a sin to go slow, and seem to think that there is great virtue in mere speed, hence are apt to sing, and pray, talk and act so fast as to put but little thought and real heavenly weight in what is done. Jesus walked but never ran.

4. Another sign of advance in holiness is a growing sense of perseverance.

The Christian life is against the tide of everything in this world and in fallen human nature, and the more spiritual one is the more he is cut loose from the sympathies of earth, and in addition to thousands of outward trials and difficulties, and a great many inward weaknesses and hindrances, there are certain peculiar trials which spring from the spiritual life itself, such as its hiddenness, its mysteriousness and a certain strange monotony in it, so that perseverance is the greatest of all necessities in the spiritual life. Multitudes of real, earnest Christians pass through experiences over and over again which seem to take nearly all their strength; they don’t faint but they almost faint. Now, when these dear souls can detect a deeper settling of purpose to go all the way with Jesus, when they feel, as it were, the inward fibers of their soul tightening around the cross, when their will seems to be girded with a calm, fresh courage, and their secret prayers gather new vigor, it is a good, heavenly sign of real progress.

5. I will mention one more sign of progress, and that is a disposition to universal kindness, especially the cultivation of kind thoughts towards everybody. There are persons who are naturally full of humanitarian kindness.