Create a Spiritual Growth Chart
By Rick Warren
“It’s crucial that we keep a firm grip on what we’ve heard so that we don’t drift off”(Hebrews 2:1 The Message).
As you grow to spiritual maturity, you will have to cooperate with God in the process.
One way to do that is to believe God is working in your life, even when you don’t feel it. Spiritual growth is sometimes tedious work, one small step at a time. Expect gradual improvement. The Bible says, “Everything on earth has its own time and its own season” (Ecclesiastes 3:1 CEV).
There are seasons in your spiritual life, too. Sometimes you will have a short, intense burst of growth (springtime) followed by a period of stabilizing and testing (fall and winter).
What about those problems, habits, and hurts you would like miraculously removed? It’s fine to pray for a miracle, but don’t be disappointed if the answer comes through a gradual change. Over time, a slow, steady stream of water will erode the hardest rock and turn giant boulders into pebbles. Over time, a little sprout can turn into a giant redwood tree towering 350 feet tall.
Keep a notebook or journal of lessons learned. This is not a diary of events, but a record of what you are learning. Write down the insights and life lessons God teaches you about him, yourself, life, relationships, and everything else. Record these so you can review and remember them and pass them on to the next generation (see Psalm 102:18 and 2 Timothy 3:14).
The reason we must relearn lessons is that we forget them. Reviewing your spiritual journal regularly can spare you a lot of unnecessary pain and heartache. The Bible says, “It’s crucial that we keep a firm grip on what we’ve heard so that we don’t drift off” (Hebrews 2:1 The Message).
PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>
For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!
Life's Healing Choices: The Beatitudes Complete Audio Series
Rest and recover from life’s battles
The truth is, going through life we all get at a little bruised and battered. And that means everyone needs recovery from something.
Maybe you need help dealing with pain from a current relationship, or hurts from your past. Maybe you need to heal spiritually, or renew your emotional health.
Regardless of the problems you face, Pastor Rick Warren wants to help you heal by sending you his Life’s Healing Choices Complete Audio Series.
In these 8 messages based on the Beatitudes (Matthew Chapter 5), you’ll hear about the choices you can make to lead you to the true healing and recovery that can only be found in Jesus. Choices like . . .
• The Reality Choice
• The Transformation Choice
• The Growth Choice
Please give your best gift below to help more people learn, love, and live the Word with Daily Hope — and we’ll say thanks by sending you the Life’s Healing Choices Complete Audio Series available as an 8 CD boxed set or high-quality MP3 download.
May God work through these messages to help you rest and recover from life’s battles with the eternal hope of his Word.
This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
You can listen to Rick Warren on OnePlace.com.
