Growing and Going
A huge step in moving in the right direction is an honest assessment of where you are in that spectrum and why you are there and how important.
Growing and Going
Play the original Excel Still More episode here without leaving the article.
The story behind the idea
This represents a hard heart that is not willing to listen, even though the word is right in front of you. I certainly hope and pray that that is not where you are today, but honestly, sometimes we're just in really tough spots, and an awareness of that is really important. The second soil is the seed sown in the rocky places that was excited and joyful and sprouted, but it turns out that Christianity is hard and that cost and tribulation are uncomfortable. Sometimes we might just relegate ourselves back to silence.
What stands out
Maybe it's hard and they're adverse to challenges, or maybe the world is just too alluring and they can't focus. A huge step in moving in the right direction is an honest assessment of where you are in that spectrum and why you are there and how important it is to make the change. Then from there, it's about faith and trust and prayer and doing the best that you can. This is something we do, we should be doing very often.
Why it matters
From a New Testament perspective, this means going to be with God's people, going to help God's people. It also means spreading the name of Jesus among those who are not yet God's people. It can be going in the sense of physically traversing from where you are to somewhere else. It can also be hospitality where you're inviting people to come to you, to meet with you, to come into your home so that you can make a difference in their lives.
A faithful way forward
I go on this mission to take what is true and try to influence other people to embrace it. When people are worried or down, I go to them and I tell them, you need to become more like Jesus. When people in the world are not Christians, I go to them and I share the gospel.
Put it into practice
Maybe you're comparing yourself with others too much, or maybe you don't feel like you can ever be fixed or whatever. We've got to have some faith in God that says, if I devote the right time to learning in prayer, then the Lord will help me grow. If you're not going, that could be a schedule issue as well, but it may mean you need to associate with people who are actually in the work.
Take the idea with you.
- 01What idea from this study most needs my attention right now?
- 02Where does this challenge the way I am currently thinking or living?
- 03What is one faithful step I can take this week?
Prefer listening?
The original episode player is available near the top of this article, so you can listen without leaving the page.