SPIRITUAL DISCIPLESHIP
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress.
1 Timothy 4:15 NLT
TODAY’S THOUGHT
Christ-like character must be developed over time, there is no short-cut. A baby doesn’t wake up one day walking, talking, and driving themselves around. Before they can walk, they usually learn to crawl. Then comes a time of slowly standing and falling. After several falls they take a step, and we celebrate. It was two steps after 20 falls, but we forget the falls and celebrate the two steps.
We must remind ourselves when we are born-again and become a new creature in Christ Jesus, we still bring with us our old hurts, habits, and hang-ups. There are personal failures and faults that we learned over-time and will only conquer over time.
I have seen many people experience incredible deliverance and freedom from past habits and hang-ups—and yet, they still had a few areas that needed some walking out over time. I don’t understand why some things seem to immediately disappear while other things keep holding on. Maybe it is God’s way of teaching us to trust daily. This trust helps us invest the time to develop Christlike character.
There is only one way to develop the habits of Christlike character: You must practice them - and that takes time! These character-building habits are often called "spiritual disciplines," and they include such things as meditation, prayer, fasting, Bible study, simplicity, stewardship, solitude, submission, service, and evangelism.
There is no short-cut around these “spiritual disciplines” growing in our lives. We must be intentional to learn to practice these on a regular basis. Depending on our personality some of the disciplines will be easier than others. But we can’t pick the ones that are easy for us, we must be willing to invest the effort in developing each of them.
Fasting and evangelism have always been my toughest to be consistent with. I like to eat so I must be intentional to set aside a time for fasting from food to increase my spiritual sensitivity. I also find myself spending so much time with church people that I realize it has been a while since I had a meaningful conversation with a non-believer. I must be intentional to try to find ways to connect with a lost world.
Those are my struggles—what do you struggle with? Be honest and invite the Holy Spirit to help you grow.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Holy Spirit I need Your help to grow the character of Christ in my life. Help me see my areas of weakness and help me take intentional steps towards spiritual maturity.
“Scroll down to share what you feel God is saying based on today’s reading.”
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