Let Hn be a monotone sequence of non-negative self-adjoint operators or relations in a Hilbert space. Then there exists a self-adjoint relation H∞ such that Hn converges to H∞ in the strong resolvent sense. This result and related limit results are explored in detail and new simple proofs are presented. The corresponding statements for monotone sequences of semi-bounded closed forms are established as immediate consequences. Applications and examples, illustrating the general results, include sequences of multiplication operators, Sturm–Liouville operators with increasing potentials, forms associated with Kreĭn–Feller differential operators, singular perturbations of non-negative self-adjoint operators and the characterization of the Friedrichs and Kreĭn–von Neumann extensions of a non-negative operator or relation.