Are You Growing Through The Struggles? 3

When I was a kid, my father and mother would take us on different trips and vacations. My two sisters and I would constantly ask over the hundreds of miles, “When are we going to be there?” Dad would patiently respond, “Not yet; we still have a ways to go.”

God still says to each of us in our journey with God, “You still have a ways to go.” Do you believe that? I have been serving the Lord for many years, but I still believe in my deepest heart, “I still have a ways to go”. There are places in God that I have not arrived at or attained yet. Paul said, “I press toward the mark.” Are you pressing for more in your growth with God?

It’s dangerous to think that you have arrived, that there’s no room for your growth. There are several things that you will say when you are truly growing.

James 1:2-4 says, “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” Notice that James said, “WHEN,” not If.

                 You Know You’re Growing WHEN:

You Don’t Bellyache about your Troubles! When you’re saying, “I can’t believe they did that to me: Why didn’t I get the promotion? What a witch she was to me in that ordeal.” God is saying in your troubles, “Keep smiling, keep singing, keep pressing, keep loving, keep joyful, and keep the spring in your step.” Three Hebrew men in Daniel Chapter 3 could have easily whined their way into the fiery furnace, but they chose to believe in their God “Regardless.” One of the miracles was that the three men were not complaining about their ordeal. Rather they stood up with their faith for their God knowing that He was able to deliver them.

You Don’t Think The Struggle Is Strange. 1 Peter 4:12 says, Think it not strange the fiery trial is to try you as though something strange has happened to you but rejoice....” One of the tricks out of hell is to convince you that this test is some strange event that’s happening to you. Whatever God allows is always brought about for your success. Don’t ever believe that God doesn’t have your back in everything! Believe He has your best interest at heart. His ways are higher than your ways. God never, never makes mistakes, He is always working everything out for your good!

God Gets All The Glory. After the three Hebrew men were thrown into the fire, King Nebuchadnezzar said, “Didn’t we throw three men in the fire? I see a fourth man and He is as the son of God”. 28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent His angel to rescue His servants who trusted in Him.” Praise reveals our growth.

You Declare, “The Lord is My Helper”. Have you been in a situation where you can now declare, “The Lord is my Helper?” You know without any doubt that God got you out of your ordeal. That’s when you know you’re growing. Declare today,” If God be for me, who can be against me?”