Unsuspected Enemies of Growing in Faith

Unsuspected Enemies of Growing in Faith

Unsuspected Enemies of Growing in Faith - flowingfaith.comDo you want to grow in your faith? I think that is what we all want. But we might not want what it takes to make it happen. We’d like to get the benefits of a mature faith but we’re not willing to sacrifice for it. Or we’re not ready to wait for years while obediently keeping on doing what’s required. Craving instant gratification is an enemy of spiritual growth for sure. So is pampering yourself in comfort.

Unsuspected enemies …

Ouch. That’s what I thought when I read this John Ortberg quote “The decision to grow always involves a choice between risk and comfort. This means that to be a follower of Jesus you must renounce comfort as the ultimate value of your life.” Isn’t safety and comfort exactly what we seek in this life? We want that comfy feeling. Happiness, we call it. God sees it differently. Comfort and spiritual laziness are unsuspected enemies of growing in faith. That’s why God is calling us out of stupor and offering us something more. Better. Bigger. Bolder.

Growing in faith involves a choice between risk and comfort. Following Jesus requires us moving our feet in the direction chosen by God. And especially it does not mean staying put in your own bubble. Faith is not needed in doing the same old, same old over and over again. Hence faith does not grow.

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience. (Col.1:9-11, NIV)

… of growing in faith

So what should we do? How could we renounce comfort as the ultimate value of our life? The first step is to notice the power comfort has in our lives. And the second step is to bring it to God in prayer. Over and over again. I believe surrendering to Jesus has to happen every morning like we had never surrendered before. Otherwise, we take the reigns and stay in comfort.

Only when we live in the Spirit, we are bold enough to take the risk to truly follow Jesus into the unknown territories of life. When we dare to take risks for Jesus, our faith is stretched and it grows. So don’t live without prayer, without surrender, without the Holy Spirit lifting you up and installing boldness and empowering grace in you. Your life is not meant to be boring and repetitive. It’s meant to be an adventure more beautiful and exciting than anything in your boldest dreams.

 

Gracious God,
Forgive us worshipping comfort.
Help us to renounce comfort as our ultimate life value.
It’s YOU we want, it’s spiritual growth we desire.
We surrender to you, Lord.
Fill us with your Spirit and
make us daring and bold for you.
Enable us to live lives you’ve designed for us
and keep on growing in faith.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen

Q4U: Is comfort the ultimate value of your life? Or are you growing in faith?

Be blessed my fellow pilgrim as you dare to step out of your comfort zone in order of growing in faith!

Photo by Stephen Di Donato on Unsplash. I am linking up with #tellhisstory.

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