Don’t Give Up on Your Growth

Don’t Give Up on Your Growth

BY RICK WARREN — SEPTEMBER 4, 2014

“Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.” (Romans 6:13 NLT)

Have you ever wondered why doesn’t God answer your prayers immediately? There are a couple of reasons.

The first reason is that he wants to know if you’re really serious. There’s a difference between a desire and a whim. When you have preschoolers you learn this. They ask, “Daddy, can I have this?” You answer, “No,” and they forget it. If they keep saying it over and over, it’s not a whim; it’s a desire.

God doesn’t answer whims. If you don’t care about praying about it more than once, it’s a whim. So God wants to see if you really mean business.

The second reason is that God is not a vending machine where you put in a prayer and the answer immediately pops out. God doesn’t serve you; you serve him.

If God answered every one of your prayers instantly, you would be the most self-centered person on the planet. Remember the movie “Bruce Almighty”? Jim Carrey’s character was given the ability to get anything he prayed for instantly. Whatever he asked for, he got it. He basically ruled the world! He also turned into a pretty terrible person.

You know the mess you’re in right now? You didn’t get into it instantly. You didn’t just make one bad choice; you made a lot of bad choices. So God has to peel the onion, one layer at a time.

If you’re serious about letting God change your life, you’ve got to hang on and not give up until God blesses you. Most people miss God’s best because they give up too soon. They give up in the struggle.

Don’t do it. Commit to God changing you — in his time. Don’t let go until he chooses to bless you.

Recovery is a process. Healing is a process. Growth is a process. It’s not a one-time event.

The Bible says in Romans 6:13, “Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God” (NLT).

Talk It Over

• What do you need to change about your prayer life so that you show God a commitment to your requests of him?
• How can you “give yourself completely to God”? What would that look like in your life?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D38CH9zmG2w
• In what struggle are you ready to give up? What do you need to do so that you can continue in your healing process?

Giant Slayer TODAY’S SCRIPTURE “A man’s gift makes room for him and brings him before great men.” (Proverbs 18:16, NASB) TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria When people hear the story of David and Goliath, sometimes they think, “That was all God.” And yes, in a sense, it was all God; but God didn’t sling the stone. David had a role to play, too. God gave David the skill that he had to develop in order to be prepared for that defining moment. Like David, God has put skills inside of you so that you can slay the giants in your life. You have the skills that can open new doors, skills that can lead to an abundant life, but the key is that the skills have to be developed. Every day that you spend growing, learning and improving, you’re getting prepared for that new level. Today, while you’re waiting for that new opportunity, start sharpening your skills. Study your boss. Study your manager. Learn that position. Be able to step into their shoes. When God sees that you are prepared, then He can open new doors. The scripture says, “Your gifts will make room for you.” Keep developing your skills because there is a giant slayer in you! A PRAYER FOR TODAY Father, thank You for depositing in me everything that I need for victory in my life. I choose to be faithful. I choose to sharpen my skills. Help me be prepared for every opportunity You have for my future in Jesus’ name. Amen.