Topic: God Grows You One Step at a Time [RICK WARREN Devotional 15 July 2021]

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God Grows You One Step at a Time

BY RICK WARREN — JULY 15, 2021

“So get rid of your old self, which made you live as you used to—the old self that was being destroyed by its deceitful desires. Your hearts and minds must be made completely new, and you must put on the new self, which is created in God’s likeness and reveals itself in the true life that is upright and holy.”

Ephesians 4:22-24 (GNT)

Although God could instantly transform you, he has chosen to develop you slowly.

This is how you see him work throughout the Bible. God allowed the Israelites to take over the Promised Land “little by little” so they wouldn’t be overwhelmed (Deuteronomy 7:22). Jesus was deliberate in developing his disciples. In the same way, God prefers to work in incremental steps in your life.

Why does it take so long to change and grow up? There are several reasons:

We are slow learners. People often have to relearn a lesson 40 or 50 times to really get it. The problems keep recurring, and you think, “Not again! I’ve already learned that!” But God knows better. The history of Israel illustrates how quickly we forget the lessons God teaches us and how soon we revert to our old patterns of behavior. We need repeated exposure.

We have a lot to unlearn. Since most of your problems—and all of your bad habits—didn’t develop overnight, it’s unrealistic to expect them go away immediately. There is no pill, prayer, or principle that will instantly undo the damage of many years. It requires the hard work of removal and replacement. The Bible calls it “taking off the old self” and “putting on the new self” (Romans 13:12; Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:7-10, 14).

Growth is often painful and scary. There is no growth without change, no change without fear or loss, and no loss without pain. Every change involves a loss of some kind. People fear these losses. Even if your old ways were self-defeating, they were at least comfortable and familiar, like a worn-out pair of shoes.

Good habits take time to develop. Your character is the sum total of your habits. You can’t claim to be kind unless you are habitually kind. Your habits define your character.

There is only one way to develop the habits of Christlike character: You must practice them—and that takes time! There are no instant habits. Paul urged Timothy, “Practice these things. Devote your life to them so that everyone can see your progress” (1 Timothy 4:15 GW).Talk It Over

• Why do you think God allows you to go through pain and loss while you are growing spiritually?
• What is a bad habit that you’ve had trouble changing? How is God helping you with this right now?
• What’s something you can start practicing everyday so that you are developing more Christlike character?

Have you trusted Jesus for your salvation?

No matter what you’ve done or where you’ve been, you can have a place in God’s forever family ready and waiting for you. The invitation is wide open. Just believe and receive.

Are you ready? Here’s a prayer you can start with:

“Dear God, I know when I die I’m going to give an account of my life to you directly. I confess that I have ignored you. I know I have sinned against you, and I have lived by my plan, not yours. I want that to change, starting right now. I want to turn away from my sins and move toward you.

“Thank you for sending Jesus to die for all that I’ve done wrong so that I don’t have to pay the penalty. I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness. I know only your grace can save me, Lord. I could never be good enough to get into a perfect place.

“Jesus, thank you for loving me so much that you took all my guilt on yourself. You made me acceptable for heaven, and I humbly ask you to save me. I ask you to save me from the sins and habits that are messing up my life right now. I believe in you, Jesus. And I believe you will keep your promise to save me instantly, certainly, completely, and eternally. I want to spend the rest of my life here on Earth getting to know you and becoming more like you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”