HomeDon’t Settle
Spiritual Growth May 19th, 2008We tend to be creatures of habit. Most days hold a fairly typical pattern: wake up, eat, work, run errands, sleep; and then repeat it all the next day. A normal routine produces stability, comfort, and certainty. Although stability, comfort, and certainty can be good, it is still necessary to guard against spiritual complacency. Complacency is an enemy to spiritual growth and abundant living because it dampens your desire to seek God with your whole heart.
Today, I simply want to remind you not to let the normalcy of daily living cause you to become complacent in your spiritual walk. Be diligent to seek God as passionately in normal times as when you are facing adversity. When everything seems to be routine, don’t settle for a lukewarm relationship with God. It’s easy to seek God when things are going haywire; but, there is also tremendous benefit to seeking him when all is calm. Seeking him during the calm times increases your love, honor, and respect toward him. I encourage you to maximize the blessing of stability, order, and routine by deliberately concentrating on deepening your relationship with the Father. Focus on some amazing spiritual disciplines that will cause the roots of your relationship to grow stronger. Take more time to pray. Explore the discipline of fasting. Read a few extra Psalms. Praise God fervently. Celebrate his goodness. Relish moments of solitude. Don’t let day to day living cause you to settle. God has more in store for you. Pursue him!
Consider the words of Paul and be blessed, ” Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14
Blessings to you,
MC
May 22nd, 2008 at 7:04 pm
First, Pastor Cade let me say thank you for living a life submitted to God. For having fun, being a friend, and showing me a better (Radical) way to live.
Don’t Settle!
For real -I get tired and I know other people can relate when we procrastinate, or convince ourselves that when I finish (B) I can do (A). Living a life concentrated on the wrong things can make you fall in this trap. For me, I like to think of myself as a Prayer Warrior. So when I was working my excuses for not praying were: I’m working late, finishing Project X , taking care of soldiers- all truthful things I was doing- I was living life. My promise to God and myself was when I get time off and stop working I would really start to pray.
Spiritual Complacency not only dampens your desire to seek God with your whole heart but it places God in second place as you are doing all the things life brings you.I was working and taking care of soldiers my (B) and praying my (A) was put on hold.
I was settling.
Thanks for your word on “DON’T SETTLE”. Life is life.
We work, play, pay taxes, and eat crispy creme doughnuts but we must never get so caught up with living that we forget our (A) is God and everything else is (B).
Thanks for reminding me of my prioritites.
Love Brother Mario
Romans 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!