Time to Stretch

I had a great talk with a friend today. He shared an illustration with me that really spoke to me. We were talking about spiritual growth. Imagine you wanted to start working out, and you could only bench press 100 lbs. The only way your ever going to be able to lift more than 100 lbs is by pushing beyond your limits. You may only be able to lift 100 lbs now, but if you have someone to stretch you, to force you to add 1 lbs, you will eventually be able to lift 101 lbs!

This same principle holds true in our spiritual lives. In my own life, I have pushed myself, learned things, learned to trust God in certain situations, overcome areas of sin. But at times we reach a plateau. We reach the limit of what we can do on our own. We need someone who will stretch us, someone to help us add to our spiritual growth.

Do you have someone to stretch you? My prayer is that I will never stop growing. I pray that God will always bring someone into my life to push me to the next level.

Philippians 2:12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling;

A Disturbance in the Soul

I am weeks, actually days away from completing my coursework for my masters. It's been a long 10 years. And now as I finish up studying for my last exams, I have this strange deep down burning within my soul. Sure, I've thought that maybe it could be nerves, it could be stress. But I've been here before. I think I remember well enough to know that this is God working within. He's preparing me for something big. Am I ready? I know with all of my heart that God has something for me. I just don't know what that is right now. I will continue to pray, continue to prepare my heart, listening to what He wants me to hear.