A Disciple Is Always Growing
Pause:
Before you start reading this devotional, take a moment to stop what you’re doing, slow down and focus on Jesus.
Pray and ask him to open your eyes to see as you read the Scriptures, and to open your ears to hear as you wait on the leading of the Spirit.
Read:
Matthew 16:24: ‘Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.’
2 Corinthians 3:18: ‘And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.’
Going Deeper:
I think we could all agree that growth, while often being a painful and uncomfortable experience, is well worth the struggle and also a vital part of our existence. Let’s take the growth from childhood through puberty for example. Rough time, but pretty essential in our life. We could also look to the growth of a baby in the womb. By all accounts it sounds VERY uncomfortable but 100% worth it. A teething child; a strained mind trying to comprehend math (mine always!); muscles hurting from working out as they break down in order to grow.
We all feel the difficulty, the pain and the struggle of growth. But we also get to experience the immense benefits of the process. The birth of a baby; Teeth in said baby's mouth; Correct calculations (89% of the time); and strong muscles. Lets now think about the life of a disciple of Jesus. You and me. In Monday’s devotional, Grant pointed out how Mark chapter 1 showed us three things every disciple should prioritize. Number 2 was transformation - becoming like Jesus. How does this process of growth play out in our lives?
I'm going to refer briefly here to a wonderfully challenging book, Sacred Fire by Ronald Rolheiser. In it he presents the spiritual journey of a disciple in three distinct phases.
- Essential Discipleship - the struggle to get our lives together
- Mature Discipleship - the struggle to give our lives away
- Radical Discipleship - the struggle to give our deaths away
Each phase has its very own challenges, its own sins that we struggle with. Rolheiser states that “we are always struggling and doing battle with something” and each of these distinct seasons of our lives causes growth and change.
Let's go back to Jesus’ words. He asks of his disciples a pretty simple deal - follow me. To which we reply, “sign me up!”. What he requires however is where we get uncomfortable. Deny myself. Pick up my cross. Ouch. This is going to be tougher than I thought.
Think about how many of our own desires and wants come across our mind every day. To deny yourself, in favour of Jesus and his kingdom, is not always an easy instinct. In fact, I’m sure we can all agree from personal experience, it's pretty darn tough!
In John 16:33 Jesus proclaimed something totally scary but all together comforting when He declared “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
So it’s not always going to be easy, that's clear. Jesus is letting us know that the road of following him is tough.
2 Corinthians 3:18 describes the growing process in another language when Paul states how we are being transformed into the image of the glory of God ‘from one degree of glory to another’. That sounds like a long process!
Okay, so now let's look to Jesus' words again “But take heart! I have overcome the world.” You see in each phase of discipleship, through all the growing pains, we know the outcome. We know that sin is defeated. We know the end of the story. We know that Jesus has already won. He is our salvation. We know that He is in control. That He has ‘overcome the world’. We truly and wholeheartedly can ‘take heart’ in that.
Think back over your own road with Jesus so far. Traveling along in the dust of the Rabbi, you have probably struggled with different things in different seasons. Looking back I want you to pinpoint areas of growth. Look for seasons of your life where you, through the power of the Holy Spirit, have overcome a sin. Perhaps where you have grown in awareness of the cry for justice. Perhaps your relationships have deepened. Maybe you can listen lovingly now. Maybe there is healing happening right now that is painful. If you can't see areas of growth. Ask Jesus to show you.
You see, with all the discomfort of growth, we also have a loving Heavenly Father that walks with us. He does not leave us in any season but leads and guides us as we are transformed. May we continue to embrace the growing and changing, knowing that all struggles will one day cease in the presence of Yahweh.
Pray:
Respond to God in prayer by speaking to Him about what stood out to you from this passage this morning.
Listen:
What is the Holy Spirit saying to you this morning?
Apply:
What are you going to do in response to what God is saying to you from the text and by the Spirit?