A healthy relationship with God requires effort. The question is: How much are we willing to put into it?<\/p>\n
Paul writes, \u201cTrain yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come\u201d (1 Timothy 4:7-8). If our goal is to maintain general spiritual health, we can stretch our prayer muscles casually, like a walk in the park. But if we want to grow strong\u2014and then stronger we need a rigorous workout every day. To \u201crun with perseverance the race marked out for us\u201d (Hebrews 12:1), we need to be in top shape.<\/p>\n
But how do we accomplish this? If we are to \u201crun in such a way as to get the prize\u201d (1 Corinthians 9:24), how are we to build our strength? These five steps can help you grow spiritually stronger:<\/p>\n
1. Find encouragement.<\/strong> 2. Pray for a larger comfort zone.<\/strong> 3. Warm up your faith muscles.<\/strong> 4. Get moving! <\/strong> 5. Turn setbacks into renewed determination.<\/strong> A healthy relationship with God requires effort. The question is: How much are we willing to put into it? Paul writes, \u201cTrain yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come\u201d (1 Timothy 4:7-8). […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":61,"featured_media":30428,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[396],"tags":[248],"ppma_author":[639],"class_list":["post-23574","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-deepen-your-faith","tag-scripture"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\nChristian community is important because we are \u201cmutually encouraged by each other\u2019s faith\u201d (Romans 1:12). Being around other believers and worshipping with them challenges us to \u201cstrive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else\u201d (1 Thessalonians 5:15).<\/p>\n
\nIf our entire world consists of people just like us, chances are that we\u2019re more focused on feeling safe than on spreading the Gospel. Our light can only \u201cshine before others\u201d (Matthew 5:16) if we interact, on a significant level, with people who are different than we are. One way to overcome our fear of stepping out in faith is to pray for the courage to \u201cconsider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus\u201d (Philippians 3:8).<\/p>\n
\nTo be on fire for God requires stoking our spirit with the fuel of daily prayer, intense knowledge of Scripture and generous giving. Ask God to wrap you \u201cin zeal as in a cloak\u201d (Isaiah 59:17) and to give you love that \u201cburns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame\u201d (Song of Solomon 8:6).<\/p>\n
\nVibrant faith doesn\u2019t come to those who wait complacently, expecting God to turn up the flame. It happens when we live our love of Christ. James tells us, \u201cDo not merely listen to the word…. Do what it says\u201d (James 1:22). Somewhere in our lives there is a person who is hungry and needs to eat, or thirsty and in need of drink; there is a stranger Christ wants us to care for or clothe; a sick person to serve, or a prisoner to visit (Matthew 25:35-36).<\/p>\n
\nPeter denied the Lord three times, and yet Christ commanded him three times to tend his flock (John 21:15-17). Saul persecuted Christians, and Christ chose him as witness to the Gentiles. The cross is proof that Christ can transform even the worst things into good. Our job is to pick ourselves up after we fail and to ask for renewed vigor to follow Christ. \u201cFor though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again\u201d (Proverbs 24:16). With Christ beside us, there is no such thing as failure.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"