The same thing is true positively as well. This most often rears its head among we Christians, as we lament our lack of knowledge in God's Word, or prayerlessness, or the neglect of some other holy duty with similar excuses. Almost incredulously we stand around wondering when it is that God is just going to make us more righteous, pronounce us more godly, zap us into greater faith, fill us with overflowing love, bestow a mantle of perseverance upon us and create gentleness within that is contrary to our preferred crankiness. So it is that the words of our text become so very important to us. Though one may grow ancient in the Lord by virtue of years in Christ, one does not grow in Christlikeness merely by time served.
Muscle is built by exercise.
Cognitive powers are increased and sharpened by close reasoning. Skills in any pursuit are developed by means of trial, error and repetition. And some measure of our Christian growth is dependent upon our willingness to seek after the things God has placed before us as worthy of our efforts. In other words, it is a vigorous thing, not passive. It carries with it the idea of running swiftly in order to catch some one or some thing.