The Gap and the Gain: A Christian Perspective on Personal Growth

Embracing Spiritual Progress Without Condemnation

Welcome to another episode of the Health for the Spirit, Soul, and Body Blog from Doxa Missions. Today, we’re looking at a powerful concept from the book The Gap and The Gain by Dr. Benjamin Hardy, and how it can help us better understand personal growth through Scripture.

This principle has helped many find peace with where they are in life while staying motivated to grow. As believers, this is particularly relevant, because we often wrestle with the tension between who we are and who we’re called to be in Christ.

Understanding The Gap and The Gain for Christian personal growth

In Hardy’s words, the gap is the distance between your current self and your ideal self. It’s the feeling of always coming up short, focusing on how far you still have to go. The gain, on the other hand, measures the progress you've already made—from where you began to where you are now.

As Christians, we strive toward Christlikeness. That’s a good and godly goal—but if we only focus on what we haven’t yet achieved, we can slip into guilt, discouragement, or even spiritual burnout. But when we learn to recognize “the gain,” we stay rooted in gratitude and encouraged by God’s ongoing work in our lives (Christian personal growth).

Biblical Examples of “The Gap”

We’re not alone in this struggle. Even the heroes of our faith experienced the discomfort of the gap.

Take the Apostle Paul. In Romans 7:15 (KJV), he confesses:

“For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.”

Paul acknowledges his internal battle between his flesh and his desire to live in holiness. He doesn’t pretend to have arrived. But neither does he allow that struggle to paralyze him—he leans fully on the grace of Christ.

King David is another example. Though called a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14), he committed serious sin, including his affair with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11). But David didn’t give up. In Psalm 51, we hear the broken, repentant heart of a man aware of the gap between his actions and God’s will. He chose repentance, not resignation.

Biblical Examples of “The Gain”

Thankfully, the Bible also shows us how God honors progress, not just perfection.

Consider the prodigal son in Luke 15:11–32. He hits rock bottom but decides to return to his father. The father's response says it all:

“For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.” – Luke 15:24 (KJV)

The focus isn’t on what the son wasted—it’s on the fact that he came home. That’s the gain.

Then there’s Joseph. Betrayed, enslaved, and imprisoned—his journey was full of obstacles. But when he was reunited with his brothers, he saw God’s hand in it all:

“But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good…” – Genesis 50:20 (KJV)

Joseph could’ve been consumed by bitterness. Instead, he saw the gain—how far God had brought him and the purpose that came from his pain.

Embracing the Gain: Practical Steps

So how do we live in this mindset of the gain? Here are a few biblical strategies that can help.

1. Ask Better Questions

Instead of asking, “Why am I not where I want to be?” try, “What has God done in me so far?” Paul reminds us in Philippians 1:6 (KJV):

“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

God’s not done with you yet. And He finishes what He starts.

2. Document Your Journey

Keep a journal of your spiritual milestones. Like Samuel, who marked a victory by setting up a stone:

“Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.” – 1 Samuel 7:12 (KJV)

These reminders can anchor your faith during rough patches.

3. Catch Negative Self-Talk

Watch how you speak to yourself. Proverbs 18:21 (KJV) tells us:

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”

Speak life. Celebrate what God has already done. He’s brought you this far!

4. Reflect on God’s Faithfulness

When doubt creeps in, look back at answered prayers. Lamentations 3:22–23 (KJV) is a comfort:

“It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed... they are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”

Seeing the Gap Through God’s Eyes

Let’s not ignore the gap—it has value too. But rather than being discouraged by it, we can approach it with grace.

Set Realistic Goals

God’s growth plan is usually one step at a time. As Proverbs 16:9 (KJV) says:

“A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.”

Let God lead you, step by step.

Celebrate Small Wins

Every little victory matters. Don’t despise them.

“For who hath despised the day of small things?” – Zechariah 4:10 (KJV)

God sees your progress, even when it feels slow.

Lean on God’s Strength

Growth doesn’t come from striving harder but from abiding deeper.

“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength…” – Isaiah 40:31 (KJV)

You don’t have to do this alone—God is your strength.

The Beauty of the Journey

Let’s be honest—this Christian walk isn’t easy. There will be days when the gap feels overwhelming. But the beauty lies in trusting the process. As Paul put it in Philippians 3:13–14 (KJV):

“Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

You don’t have to be perfect—you just have to keep pressing forward.

Remember: your worth is not measured by how close you are to perfection, but by how far God has brought you and the fact that He walks with you still.

What About You?

How have you seen “the gain” in your own life recently? Are you stuck in the gap, or can you pause and celebrate what God has already done?

We’d love to hear your thoughts and testimonies—drop a comment below and join the conversation.