Our Father in heaven desires that we grow spiritually from infancy to maturity. He puts us in a school of faith, so to speak, teaching us to follow Him. Yesterday, we talked about the discipline of listening to God. Today, let’s look at four more practices necessary for living a life in Christ.
First, the Lord desires that we obey Him. Some of His teachings are easy to follow, while others are difficult. Choosing our own way might feel good at first, but the end result is always regret. On the other hand, every act of obedience builds faith.
Second, the Lord teaches us to depend upon Him. In fact, He sometimes calls us to action in areas that seem humanly impossible. For instance, forgiving an atrocious act feels beyond our ability. But when we cannot achieve what He requires, we rely upon His strength to enable us.
Third, our heavenly Father wants us to wait upon Him. We want everything to happen according to our preferences and timetable, but manipulating circumstances only makes a mess. God’s way is best, and He desires for us to trust and be patient.
Fourth, Scripture teaches us to confess failures, repent, and learn from them. God doesn’t expect perfection, but He does want to see a healthy response to shortcomings.
The heavenly Father wants His children to have abundant, meaningful lives. For this reason, He sent His Holy Spirit to indwell, equip, and empower believers so they can reach their God-given potential. We can choose to cooperate with this plan or to live independently of His best.
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