Spiritual growth takes time

“If it dies, it bears much fruit.” Jn 12:24 ESV

God takes two days to grow a mushroom but sixty years to grow an oak tree. So, would you like to be a mushroom or an oak tree? Spiritual growth takes time. Have you been wondering, “Why is it taking me so long to improve? I am still struggling with many of my weaknesses.” Why? Because spiritual growth, like natural growth, takes some time. The best fruit ripens gradually. Jesus said, “Truly, truly…unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (v. 24 ESV). When Jesus says, “Truly, truly,” He means, “Now understand this! Listen! This is very important.” The point Jesus stresses here is that just like a grain of wheat has to die to produce fruit, so we also must die to ourselves to produce spiritual growth. And dying to our own self-absorption takes a while. Our inclination is to unearth the seed periodically to monitor its progress instead of trusting God to perform His work in our lives. Christ will produce fruit in our lives if we stay in Him. Jesus said, “Abide in me” (Jn 15:4). The word “abide” means “to live in.” Abiding in Christ means staying in contact with Him, depending on Him, living for Him, and trusting Him to finish His work in our lives in His perfect timing. Wait for God’s promised harvest, and in the meantime, delight in His presence in your life. God is happy with you at every phase of your spiritual growth. He is not waiting until you’re perfect to begin loving you. He will never love you one drop more than He already does.

Are you totally committed?

“He sought…God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered.” 2Ch 31:21 NIV

Change, improvement, growth, success, and victory don’t happen because they’re admirable concepts or desirable options. No, they happen because you’re totally committed and willing to pay the price. When King Hezekiah came to the throne, Israel was in bad shape. The doors of God’s house were shut, the Law of the Lord was not being observed, and the people were worshiping the same gods as the heathen nations around them. If you’re “a turnaround expert,” you would benefit from studying Hezekiah’s life and his strategy. The Bible says, “In everything that he undertook…he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly” (v. 21 NIV). The cost of commitment involves these: (1) A change in lifestyle. Hezekiah broke the family mold, refusing to live the way his father before him had lived. (2) Loneliness. Hezekiah was the first to turn to God. In order to do it, he had to stand alone. (3) Criticism. People don’t take kindly to change, and Hezekiah faced a barrage of harsh questions from the older generation. (4) Hard work and money. He was willing to give up time, energy, and money to reach his goal. (5) Daily discipline. Changing a culture and the mindsets of the people who are part of it can be difficult. Every day Hezekiah taught and instilled God’s principles into the minds of the people. (6) Constant pressure. The people who went along with the changes Hezekiah was making expected to see results, and they weren’t necessarily patient. But Hezekiah “sought his God…worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered.” The principles Hezekiah used will work for you too, so today begin to apply them.

Learn to disagree, agreeably

“Clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” Col 3:12 NLT

John Gray wrote the best-selling book Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus. His underlying thesis is this: In order to get along with someone, you have to try and see life from their perspective. And that’s not easy. Paul writes: “Clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts” (vv. 12-15 NLT). Those who need others to think and act exactly the way they do are often masking insecurities. They have a deep-seated need to have their views and actions confirmed in the behavior and thoughts of others. But that’s not how life works. Disagreements happen in any relationship where more than one person is involved. We are all unique, and we are not likely to agree on everything. But the way we approach our disagreements can determine whether our relationship makes it to the finish line. Fighting fair, opening yourself to the ideas of others and to new ways of doing things, is how you grow. And who knows, in the end you may even “agree to disagree.” The important thing is to respect the other person’s ideas and seek to create an environment where the two of you can feel free to express your feelings and be who you really are without fear of being judged.

Who is the DEVIL!?
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