The Discovery
DAY TWO
DAY TWO: TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR PERSONAL GROWTH
Review:
- While it is certainly true that Christ works through us to accomplish the
will of God, obedience to Him does require effort on our part.
As you carry out the assignments that God gives you, it is very important
that you continue to mature in every way. The passing of time will ensure
physical maturity, but it does not ensure any other kind of maturity. There
is a discipline to following Jesus and being His servant. There is study
involved, self discipline, servanthood and much more.
Jesus calls us to salvation and to ministry as His ambassadors, but He
also calls us to become His disciples, to learn from Him. According to
Webster, “to learn” means “to acquire by study.” This definition suggests that
the act of learning requires effort on the part of the student. Learning is
actively taking in knowledge and making it a part of your life in such a way
that it becomes yours, not watching and hoping to catch a glimpse of obvious
truth here and there.
This verse isn’t talking about “nailing down” your salvation and making sure
that you are a Christian. Instead it questions what it is that you will do with
your salvation, a gift so great and coupled with so much responsibility that you
should constantly consider what it is you must be doing with that gift in order
to be a good steward with what you’ve been given. To become a disciple is to
take responsibility for your own growth and maturity.
Take a few moments and write your thoughts, concerns, and questions in your
journal. Allow the following thought suggestions to guide you.
Have you ever made excuses for lack of progress in your spiritual growth?
Do you feel the responsibility that is yours as a believer to learn from
Jesus? To the point of “fear and trembling”?
On a scale from 1 to 10, rate the amount of personal effort you put forth to
grow and mature personally. Explain.
What is God teaching you?