A Little Change

Posted on September 25, 2023 by Elizabeth Welte in Victory Call

Paul Tripp (one of my favorite authors) says:  “It’s not that we want too much from God. No, the reality is that often we are willing to settle for too little. We are content with a little bit of change, a little bit or growth, or a little bit of maturity.”[i]

We tend to climb out of the crucible before God has finished His refining work. When we start to feel a little better – we stop running to Him, we stop crying out to Him because we’re good now.

I have seen this as a counselor – and truth be told, I’ve seen it in my own life.  When we struggle in a trial or situation and we experience a little change, and life becomes more manageable, we tend to relax and are satisfied with the improvement (no matter how small). We are not inclined to press in and press on until Christ’s purpose for that trial has been fulfilled.

“So you’ll find yourself in situations you do not like. You’ll find yourself having to deal with things you didn’t plan. You’ll find yourself dealing with trouble you never thought would enter your door. You’ll face the unplanned, the unexpected, and the unwanted. The reason you will is because your Lord will be using all these hard and uncomfortable moments to wrench you out of your satisfaction, to cause you to esteem his redemption and to create heart-and-life change that will not be created any other way. Your Lord pries open your hands and takes away your crutches and distractions. He exposes your weaknesses so that you will cry out for what he knows you need, but what you have been willing to live without.”[ii]

What have you gone this long without because you have been satisfied with far too little?  What more does God want to do in your life to make you more like Jesus? What more does Jesus want to be in your life?  What growth, what maturity, what glory, what blessing awaits? What more is waiting for you?

 

[i] Paul Tripp. New Morning Mercies: A Daily Gospel Devotional. 2014. August 22

[ii] Paul Tripp. New Morning Mercies: A Daily Gospel Devotional. 2014. August 22.

 

Written by Diane Hunt: Diane Hunt serves on the board of America’s Keswick and is the Executive Director & CEO of Changed Choices, a Christian non-profit in North Carolina. She is also a biblical counselor and women’s event speaker. For more information about having Diane speak at your next event please contact her at dhunt@americaskeswick.org.


Think About This:  “The motivation to share our faith does not rise from courage but love.” ― Kim Meeder

The Daily Bible Reading: Ezra 5-6, Psalm 137, Haggai 1. You can download our 2023 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here. 

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:  “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, 28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.” Hebrews 9:27-28

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