"I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren't ready for anything stronger. And you still aren't ready, for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn't that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren't you living like people of the world?"
What stood out to me was the part that said, "You are still controlled by your sinful nature..." When we are seeking and growing we shouldn't be controlled by who we once were but who we are in Christ. This takes a partnership with God; saying thank you for what tools you have given me - I'm going to believe and use them. God is so good all the time that He set us up for success not failure, all we have to is believe (truly believe) where we let God transform us into the image of Christ. That looks like unselfish desire to do God's will not follow our will.
In verses 5-7 Paul goes on to say, "After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God's servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It's not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What's important is that God makes the seed grow." God makes it grow - He has given us His word and Spirit and when we take what we hear and what we see and seek wisdom God gives us that wisdom. It grow's by God in our lives and us taking the time to let Him in our hearts. (God has given us His Spirit) Romans 5 verse 5 says, "And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love." Our hearts are full of His love and we can grow to not be lead by our sinful nature but have the Spirit lead us to all truth.
Verse 11 says, "For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have - Jesus Christ." Jesus is the only way to the Father and He is our example to live our lives by. The Holy Spirit is in us showing us exactly how Jesus lived and what He would do. When we are lead by the Spirit we are working with the foundation and growing. We all should desire to move from milk to solid food, and know that with every step there will be trails and tribulations that try an keep us on milk. When we believe and stay focused on Jesus we don't get set back by our sinful nature but move toward the Spirit. Amen