God’s Goal for You Is Character, Not Comfort

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CURRENT TEACHING SERIES What On Earth Am I Here For?

God’s Goal for You Is Character, Not Comfort By Rick Warren — Oct 4, 2015 “Take on an entirely new way of life — a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.” (Ephesians 4:22-24 MSG) Many religions and New Age philosophies promote the old lie that we are divine or can become gods. Let me be absolutely clear: You will never become God or even a god. That prideful lie is Satan’s oldest temptation. Satan promised Adam and Eve that if they followed his advice, “You shall be as gods” (Genesis 3:5 KJV). This desire to be a god shows up every time we try to control our circumstances, our future, and people around us. But as creatures, we will never be the Creator. God doesn’t want you to become a god; he wants you to become godly, taking on his values, attitudes, and character. We are meant to “take on an entirely new way of life — a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you” (Ephesians 4:22-24 MSG). God’s ultimate goal for your life on Earth is not comfort but character development. He wants you to grow up spiritually and become like Christ. Becoming like Christ does not mean losing your personality or becoming a mindless clone. God created your uniqueness, so he certainly doesn’t want to destroy it. Christlikeness is all about transforming your character, not your personality. Every time you forget that character is one of God’s purposes for your life, you will become frustrated by your circumstances. You’ll wonder, “Why is this happening to me? Why am I having such a difficult time?” One answer is that life is supposed to be difficult! It’s what enables us to grow. Remember, Earth is not Heaven. Many Christians misinterpret Jesus’ promise of the “abundant life” (John 10:10) to mean perfect health, a comfortable lifestyle, constant happiness, full realization of your dreams, and instant relief from problems through faith and prayer. In a word, they expect the Christian life to be easy. They expect Heaven on Earth. This self-absorbed perspective treats God as a genie who simply exists to serve you in your selfish pursuit of personal fulfillment. But God is not your servant, and if you fall for the idea that life is supposed to be easy, either you will become severely disillusioned or you will live in denial of reality. Never forget that life is not about you! You exist for God’s purposes, not vice versa. Why would God provide Heaven on Earth when he’s planned the real thing for you in eternity? God gives us our time on Earth to build and strengthen our character for Heaven. PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick>> Talk It Over How does this devotional encourage you in light of the ways that the world is changing, often not for the better? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OICArFHAa9c What Scripture verses will you memorize to help you when you are facing discouragement or difficult circumstances? What do you expect from God? Where does the motivation for those expectations come from? Today’s Scripture “I will go before you and make the crooked places straight...” (Isaiah 45:2, NKJV) SHARE WITH YOUR FRIENDS He Prepares Your Path Do you ever feel like every time you try to move forward in something, you hit a roadblock, or something happens that throws you off course? Be encouraged today because God is going before you! You may not see it, but He is preparing a way for you. He’s making your crooked places straight. He’s making your rough places smooth. You may be going through a difficult time right now, but it’s not the end. It’s only the beginning, and God has equipped you for this journey! Don’t look at your circumstances today, look at the promise of God! Keep speaking words of faith because God promises to anoint your head with oil. He’ll cause your cup to run over. That means when you seek Him, you’ll be refreshed and anointed to do what He’s called you to do. What do you need today to keep moving forward? Start by checking your attitude. Don’t go around complaining and focused on the negative side of things. Instead, put on an attitude of praise and thanksgiving. Thank Him for making your crooked places straight. Keep your eyes on Him and let Him lead you into victory all the days of your life! A Prayer for Today “Father, thank You for Your goodness in my life. Thank You for preparing my path and for making my crooked places straight. Restore my soul and lead me in the good plan You have for me in Jesus’ name. Amen.”