My friend, Eric Bryant has a new project that just released called A Fruitful Life: Becoming Who You Were Created To Be. Eric serves at Gateway Church in Austin, and previously he served at Mosaic in Los Angeles. His previous book is called Not Like Me: A Field Guide for Influencing a Diverse World.
This fall, I’ve invited a few friends to share what God is teaching them. I hope their words are an encouragement to you as you continue to awaken to the joy and delight that comes with being a child of God.
by Eric Bryant
Have you ever felt stuck in life? You feel something is off, but you aren’t sure what it is?
I have discovered that those moments are opportunities to consider an area of my life where I need to grow where I thought I was already mature.
Have you noticed how we grow at different rates? In middle school, some of us had size 12 shoes even when we were only 4’11” tall. Some of us had our adult teeth even while we had a baby face.
We also grow at different rates spiritually.
We may be quite mature in the area of studying God’s Word, but we may still be immature in the area of forgiving others. We may have a great grasp on serving others, but we may still have a lot to learn when it comes to generosity.
Often when I am stuck it is when I think I have it all figured out. Mature adults have a level of wisdom mixed with humility that comes from experience. Adolescents have enough knowledge to think they know what’s best, and they rebel against the authorities in their lives (the very people God has given them to help them grow).
There are times in my life when God gently reminds me that I still have room to grow. There are areas in my life where I am not as mature as I think I am.
When we realize we need to grow, we are now in the position to grow. The apostle Paul who started churches throughout the known world and wrote half of the New Testament referred to himself as “the chief among sinners” near the end of his ministry. He always saw himself in need of help from God and others.
A major breakthrough for me came when I realized God was inviting me towards influence. I had already overcome isolation by becoming more independent, but according to Jesus, no matter where we come from or what we’ve done or what limitations we may think we have, we actually can become fruitful – living a transformed life and transforming the lives of others. He promises we can bear fruit 30, 60, and even 100 times more than what was sown.
When we are spiritually receptive, tenacious, intentional, and proactive, we are in the right place for God to work in our lives and through our lives in new and exciting ways!
[Tweet “God’s gently reminding me that I still have room to grow.”]
This week, were giving away 3 downloadable copies of A Fruitful Life by Eric Bryant.
Our lives have unlimited potential in the spiritual realm. To become a fruitful person requires overcoming a hard heart, trials, temptations, and rebellion.
Derived from Jesus’ parable of the soils, A Fruitful Life shares what has helped me become more:
- Receptive – able to hear God’s voice
- Tenacious – able to overcome our most painful moments
- Intentional – able to overcome our most dangerous temptations
- Proactive – able to live out our calling
The three winners will be selected and announced on Friday.
Tenacity. What a powerful word to reintroduce into the dialogue about Christian life. Yes, God is in control, but we needn’t lie around like air mattresses waiting to be pumped up! Tenacity is our (God-given) faith giving us the next fingernail in the cliff. So many times in the Bible, especially the OT, people are told to take heart or be strong and courageous, even to strengthen their feeble knees and hands because God was with them. In the NT we are told to stand firm and put on the armour of God. And, for the Christian, God is In Us!!!
Tenacity. I have been through a lot in the last ten years and this is the quality that people use to account for my survival (under Christ). Thank you, Lord, for giving me the faith to not give up.
The flip side of tenacity? Stubborness, which can blunt or block my receptivity to God, especially when He uses the voices of others to tell me what I don’t want to hear, or keeps me in a bad habit.
Have a wonderstruck day, all!
SJ
*in
‘Looking for my glasses now!
I would say tenacity. Sometimes all you can do is just hang in there.
What a great article – the book is going on my list of books to read!
Receptive. Most valuable to me is the early morning when I hear God’s counsel to my spirit. What would I do without his love, patience and longsuffering. He SO helps me.
Loved the maturing analogy. So true!
Oops! Didn’t finish…I think one of the greatest doors toward maturity-for me-has been to cultivate that good ol’ ‘attitude of gratitude’. For some, perhaps due to upbringing or natural endowment, this comes more easily than for others. But I have found it to be true that the more I practice it, the more of it there is to be had!
And as a bonus, that attitude, especially when shared in a way that points to God/Jesus, can be contagious and even lead to revealing more doors toward maturity in him. 😀
This blog post is so true. Thank you for it. I hope I will win the book!
-Amy
Wow, Margaret!
You just shared some deep insights that are truly a part of my testimony. In the past 3 years, God has been stirring something inside of me that has led to continuous growth in Him! When listening to His voice, I have learned to “fall in love with the person He created me to be.” I’m not saying I’ve got there yet – just continuing to grow and break off areas that hold me back. Right now is literally the most exciting time of my life, where He is working powerfully and revealing Himself more fully. Literally, there is revival within me that is seeking a place to grow and invest in others. My story will be broadcast on a radio program, http://www.soarradio.com at 1PM and 10PM (CST) tomorrow, Aug 23.
I pray blessings on all who are seeking God, that we all may fall in love with who God created us to be, removing the ceiling in our faith! And revival is released to the ends of the earth!
Blessings!
Dan
Excellent article! Daily devotion and being open to “The Sacred Echo”, which I am studying at the moment.
For so long I never relied onmy Bible as my own source of information… Devotionals became my go-to and while they served a purpose and I found them to inspire me I felt I was missing something. This past January a friend/mentor challenged me to read the Bible chronologically… It has been life altering!! I’m not gonna lie some of it can be tedious like the sacrifice/offering rituals found in Levitcus (which I’m currently reading) but all of it points to the beauty of redemption… The life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ…
This is exactly how I’ve been feeling lately. I’m still looking and praying for ways to grow. And ways for our a sunday school class to grow. Currently I’ve been doing some daily devotions and just finished Beth Moores study “a heart like his”. This book would be perfect for my fall srudy!
The practice of stillness with guided meditation has helped me grow the most. I love sitting and being quiet and just waiting on God. If I don’t get that time, I can tell, my spiritual life gets “off-balance”. I need my still time with God to balance me out and restore me.
What an appropriate thing for me at this point in my life. I completely feel stuck, spiritually and otherwise. With all the pressures that life has, I find myself between what I am and what I feel God has called me to be. Thank you for sharing. 🙂
I love how he said God is ‘gently’ reminding him! My life totally changed when I started a prayer time EVERY day! So powerful spending time in study and prayer daily with the creator of the universe, Who, also wants to be our best friend!!!
Being in a women’s bible study or couples study is the one discipline that has helped me to grow. I thrive most in being in a community where I am held accountable.
The criticism of others. When I am told that I am too loud, laugh too loud, or any other kind, teaches me to check myself and my priorities. Where’s God sifting me?
Music has help me grow spiritually. I keep. Christian music playing on my tv(Sirius), or car or home radio, computer(iTunes), sometimes even on my iPod while I sleep. It keeps me focused on worshipping God.
An interesting thought. .. .growing at different rates spiritually. I can definitely see it in my own life. And I can see how believing I should grow “uniformly” has been the source of frustration and discouragement. A good reminder of the truth and to keep on keepin’ on.
Great article….always room to grow. God is so very patient and faithful!
I listen or watch Elevation Church, or T.D. Jakes or Joyce Meyer online every week. In addition, I go through the archive sermons and listen or watch those as well. I listen when I’m driving to work, sometimes when I’m at my desk at work and when I’m falling asleep at night. In addition to reading when I can, but I try to have it going into my spirit as much as possible, it helps tune out the noise of the world!
It was a great honor to hear the voice of this author and realize that we grow spiritually at different rates. When I feel “stuck” I can stop and explore areas where God desires me to grow and be transformed into His image. By repenting and turning to my spirit, I find the experience of enjoyment in life by His Spirit. Wonderful words that help me to focus on spiritual matters.
Really enjoyed reading this post! Thank you!
I love how God loves us tenderly and with such individuality. What he uses in another’s life might crush me, and vice versa. I really liked the word “tenacity”, It truly makes me think of strength, effort, being unrelentless, keeping our eyes on the goal, the prize, the thing we are most striving for. I’ve just come through a tough time in my life on so many levels, in the last week, three or four people have used the word “feisty” when they are referring to me. Lately, I don’t feel so feisty and yet someone else recognizing that quality encourages me, helps me to see I’m not so under water that my personality doesn’t show. When I saw tenacity, it resonated with my heart and spirit! Margaret, I pray that God is healing you completely, giving you strength, tenacity,
and direction for your next work. I appreciate you everyday! Blessings!