God Is Not in a Hurry

I spoke on Sunday about working to eliminate hurry. Since God is patient and not in a hurry, becoming more like him entails going at his pace. Boy, that can be tough, though! We want help, and we want it now. We want to grow spiritually but don’t always want to take the time needed to build spiritual habits into our lives. We are too busy. Is there a spiritual “steroid” we can take? we wonder. Something that will grow us fast? What will make us more loving, kind, peaceful, patient…now? However, God’s plan is more like taking spiritual “vitamins." These things will help us grow healthy, but they must be taken daily over the course of weeks, months, and years. There is no shortcut to spiritual health, or for that matter, physical or emotional health. As Eugene Peterson put it, The Christian life “is a long obedience in the same direction.”

But someone will rightly ask, Where do I find these spiritual “vitamins”? That’s a good question. Allow me to answer with what I believe to be some of the possible “vitamins” it will take to grow healthy in Christ. There are more, but this is a good place to start.

1. Bible reading- This will look different for different people depending on their maturity level and personality. For some people, reading the Bible an hour a day might work. For others, it will be reading 10-20 minutes. God doesn’t measure us up against others. Try different Bible reading ways and see what works best for you. If you have never started a reading plan, I invite you to read the book of Mark one chapter a day over the next 2-3 weeks. Pray before you read, asking God to give you insight and understanding. While there are other aspects to what Bible study entails, this is a good starting point to learn about the life of Jesus and develop this healthy habit. By the way, we will be reading through John again during our rhythms study in October. You won’t want to miss this!
2. Prayer- Spending time with God is about building a relationship. He is a God of community, so he wants us to be connected closely with him. I invite you to choose a time each day when you can quiet yourself and pray. Of course, prayer is meant to be far more than a few minutes in the morning or some other time. Prayer is an ongoing conversation with God throughout the day. However, developing spiritual muscles in time alone with God will help us desire to talk with him throughout the day. Start with 5-10 minutes of prayer. Here is a simple acronym that is helpful. It is called A.C.T.S. A is for “adoration” or praise. Praise God for who he is. C is for “confession.” Share with God where you know you have fallen short, asking his forgiveness and strength to overcome. T is for “thanksgiving.” Take time to thank God for his gifts and answered prayer. Finally, S stands for S “supplication.” I know. This is not a word most of us would ever use! But it simply means asking God to supply our needs. Pray for your family, friends, church, nation, challenges you face, etc., and watch God grow you in the process!
3. Community- We need each other! Just as we need connection with God, we need relationships with fellow Christians for encouragement, challenge, strength, etc. Regular attendance on Sundays, as well as Care Groups, youth groups, and men’s and women’s groups, provide an opportunity for building deeper connections with each other and God. I want to invite you to get plugged in. Care Groups will begin the week of Sunday, September 29. You can sign up on the BCC app or at the Hub on Sunday if you need help choosing a group. Also, youth groups and men's and women's groups have already started on Wednesday.
4. Serving- When we serve others, we are blessed. When we serve others, God is blessed. And, when we serve others, the church and world are better for it! Find your place to use the gifts God has given you to serve others.
5. Choose your priorities wisely- We all have 24 hours daily. However, we are not all in the same season of life. Young mothers with kids, single teens and adults, and retired seniors will all have very different paces of life. But each season, we have some choice about what we pay attention to. I would encourage you to prioritize your walk with God and fellow Christians, whatever season you are in. Again, this will look the same for everyone, but if you find ways to implement these spiritual habits, you will see yourself growing in Christ.
6. Say, “No!” We can’t do everything. We all have limits, so some things may have to go. One key to choosing priorities wisely is to say “no,” even to some good stuff, to say “yes” to better things!
7. Take time to rest and be gracious to yourself!- Breathe! After reading a list like this, you might think that now you have even more things you aren’t doing than you should be doing. My goal here isn’t to cause guilt. Actually, I want to permit you to not care about some things! And I want to invite you to include other things that will breathe life into your spirit. So hear me: It is OK if you don’t do this “right.” It is OK if you miss a day or days. It is also OK if you and your family are not involved in everything the world says they should be. Each little step you take along your journey of growth toward God is one step closer to him and to becoming the person he has made you to be. It's not about doing this perfectly. It's about learning to walk with Jesus, even though we may stumble. He is a good and gentle shepherd whom you can trust to love you through the messes that will come along the way. Just begin the journey toward maturity, and watch where he leads you!