It’s time for new beginnings but it’s also time to evaluate the old ways. Am I living the way God wants me to live? That’s the question of the day for me. I am praying that God would show me what needs to go in order to serve him better. We are to give our lives as living sacrifices to God. We are to place all areas of our lives before God.

I appeal to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship. (Romans 12:1, AMP,*, emphasis added)

Is my life truly devoted, dedicated and consecrated to God? Or do I hold something back? Do I want to keep something for myself? Even if it’s good in general but bad for me?

Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you]. (Romans 12:2, AMP,*)

Are there some influences in my life that prevent me to grow closer to God? Is there some things in my life – family, friends, work place, neighbors, hobbies, job – that make it difficult to stay faithful to God? Ask God how to arrange your life differently to make more room for God.

These are necessary but difficult spiritual questions. Discipleship is not always easy. But if we want to become holy like God, we need to find a way of life that isn’t pulling us away from God. Because the only way to grow in faith is to spend time with God. Spiritual disciplines can help in that.

But we need to remember that all our pursuits of spiritual growth need to begin and end in grace. The author of our faith and the growth of our faith is the Holy Spirit. All spiritual growth happens by grace. But that does not mean that we get off the hook. Our task is to create space for the Holy Spirit to work within us. And that’s why we need to make room for God. We need to eliminate temptations to stay away from God. The Holy Spirit is right along side us empowering us to stay away from worldly influences. It’s all grace from start to finish.

 

Gracious God,
I have all these spiritual questions,
help me to find right answers.
Help me to find a way of life
that does not hinder my spiritual growth.
Empower me to live boldly for you,
devoted, dedicated and consecrated for you.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen

Q4U: Which spiritual questions are most difficult for you?

Be blessed, my fellow pilgrim, as you let the Holy Spirit ask spiritual questions and lead you to the right answers. And may you be bold to pursue God’s leading!

* [As you might have noticed, I enjoy reading the Bible in different translations and love comparing them. I have started linking the Bible verses to Biblegateway.com so you can easily read (and compare) them in the different versions I’ve used while preparing each post.]

Image courtesy of Eric Wing, design Mari-Anna Stålnacke. Linking up today with Unite the Bloggersphere, Three Word Wednesday and #tellhisstory.