Impatience Is An Enemy To Spiritual Growth
I think all too often in Christian circles we view spiritual transformation as something that should always be charted up and to the right. While I wish this was true, the reality is it isn’t, is it?
I love to study the life of the apostle Peter. I’ve got way too much in common with that dude.
Matt 16: 15“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 16Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. 18And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it
What a huge spiritual victory for Peter. You’ve been there.
You walked away from a certain temptation.
You loved someone you thought was unlovable.
You forgave someone you thought was unforgivable.
You had a moment of incredible generosity.
But just a few verses later we read…
21From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.
22Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”
23Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”
Listen, I don’t care where you are on your spiritual journey, when Jesus calls you “Satan,” it’s a major set back. No matter how you look at it that’s a bad day.
Peter is a great reminder to me that this journey of having Christ formed in me is not an overnight deal. You can’t microwave spiritual formation.
And yet “impatience,” which might be the most accepted sin in our culture today, drives us to constantly want to speed up the process.
Can I encourage you today to slow down? Don’t beat yourself up if you’ve met recent spiritual failure or you just feel stuck. There are seasons to this spiritual growth process.
Today’s a new day full of new opportunities to connect to God’s grace in new ways.
Have you ever felt like Peter, up and down in your spiritual growth?
Was watching online last night and heard you say, “You can’t microwave spiritual formation.” Needed that man. I’m impatient because I see a little of what God has ahead for me. It’s a process though. Most processes usually have ups, downs, and even some halts along the way. Appreciate the encouragement.
Thanks Jonathan. Glad you were watching online and so thankful the comment was helpful. I have to remind myself of that truth often.
How often do we stop and throw hissy fits in the middle of the road when it is not going the way or pace we think it should? Reminds me of my two year old in the middle of Walmart: legs flailing, screaming his little head off, but refusing to stand up and do what he is asked. He gets so overwhelmed in his fit that he can’t even hear me anymore…
Lessons learned from a toddler in the middle of Walmart.
Sounds like a book to me.
Have I EVER!
Doing a 10 week online bible study – Living Beyond Yourself with Beth Moore – run by the lovely Lindsay Ferrier of your church and man, somedays I’m so with it and other days it’s like I haven’t read or understood anything of these last 3 weeks.
But I will heed your words and slow down and work to stay “in it” until it because 2nd nature.
Praying for you Nancy.
I’m so there. I want to jump ahead of God and get some issues fixed quickly and grow spiritually in these areas like NOW. But God keeps telling me it’s a process full of ups and downs and everything in between.
I read this passage last month. Hit a little close to home:
Isaiah 5:18-19 (NIV)
Woe to those who draw sin along with cords of deceit, and wickedness as with cart ropes, to those who say, “Let God hurry; let him hasten his work so we may see it. The plan of the Holy One of Israel–let it approach, let it come into view, so we may know it.”
That’s good!
Thanks…exactly what I needed to read this morning.
All the time man.
Oh yeah, I don’t think we can spiritual growth if we don’t have a few bad days. Little reminders that we are powerless over people, places, and things. As human beings we need to be reminded to lean on God, not people. I heard someone share a meeting once, “God look at everything I’ve done for you. Why can’t you do this for me?” The next line gave me a chill, an awakening. “Don’t you see my child, what I’ve already done for you. I opened the gates of Hell for you, to let you out.” You see, I was in Hell, holding hands with the devil. I thought if I had 9 lives, they were spent. I wasn’t dead. I was just Hopeless. I found Hope and embraced it with God’s love. It’s not on my time, it’s on God’s time. Truly grateful for the present on another day.
Thank you!!! I so, so needed this today…God Bless you Pete
Glad it was helpful Pam.
Love that, Pete – you can’t microwave spiritual formation. But we can zap anything and expect instant satisfaction! (if only because we don’t know the pleasure of things that actually require patience.)
Oh, how I relate to Peter. Probably the first disciple suffering from ADD.
Totally.
Thank you for this. I needed this today. It has been a very up and down past few weeks and just the reminded that it is all a process that can not be rushed and will happen at just the perfect time, is nice. My impatience has been really shining through as of late and i am beginning to realize that i just have to wait on him. no forcing, no pushing, just trusting.
We have alot of Petes in our family on both sides, something about that name. Very encouraging message. When my kids were little I sang this song to them every night” Come to Me over the water Peter, walk on the waves of the stormy sea.I know your boat is frail but fragile so believe on Me. You can do anything if faith doesn’t weaken, see the sea sleep in the palm of My hand, My light’s a light that shines like a beacon to the promised land…the last 2 words would be the crescendo and we would laugh. I feel like a Peter for sure……….
Hi there, i’m looking for the composer of the song you’re quoting!
“come to me over the water, peter”
it’s old but i love it. i want my kids to learn it.
thanks,
jennifer
Peter and King David are the only reason I think I might have a shot at following Christ. If the bible were only full of Daniel-like characters it wouldn’t be a book I could relate to at all. If we didn’t serve a God of second and third and even seventy times seven chances I would lose all hope.
I have seen the penultimate moments in my spiritual walk and I have seen times when I thought just getting to the “valley of the shadow of death” would have been an improvement over where I was at the time. This idea of following and becoming like Christ is a hard thing but we were told it would be. We were not sold a bill of goods.
It’s the ups and downs in our spiritual growth that builds the character of our faith but it seems at times that my faith has a little more character than I would like.
I’ve been honored to ride that pendulum with you a few times.
“Impatience is the most socially acceptable sin in our culture.”
That quote has sat with me all weekend. I don’t want that to be true for me, but far too often it is, especially in how I interact with others.
so appreciated your talk last night Pete – and appreciate the fact that you are not putting spiritual development into boxes, and not telling people “this is how you develop.” Really appreciate it!
I feel like that right now, but praise the Lord for His grace! Great post!
I heard an incredible sermon on John 18 a couple years ago. It starts with Jesus saying three “I am” statements about his identity. In the garden Peter raised his sword in boldness to protect, defend, and oppose. A short time later Peter’s whole identity and persona changes. He makes his own statements “I am not”. Peter had resisted the cross, he denied it would happen, but that was Christ’s call. The breakthrough moment was when Peter dropped his boldness and his will and ultimately learned how to do it Christ’s way. When Peter comes to that moment of brokenness Christ begins to rebuild him and make him into the man he will be. When he came to the end of himself he was able to see Jesus in new ways and be transformed. In Luke 22:31-32 when Jesus returns, he tells Peter “But I have prayed for you Simon that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
We like Peter may reach points of saying “I am not” but Christ is still there making us into his image. Upon that confession and surrender Christ created a great leader who helped birth Christianity.
Pete – I had the joy last week of passing Plan B on to a well known seminary leader here in Portland. He had not heard of you or Cross Point, even though you both have so many common connections. I hope you get to meet and share with Gerry Breshears some day.
Would love to meet Gerry one day.
Two steps forward and one step back always seems to be my learning curve. Knowing I have grace and a loving Father keeps me trying
It’s hard not to beat yourself up when you’re feeling stuck. Even though in my head I know things come and go in seasons, I hate the feeling of being stuck and seemingly going nowhere. It just adds more stress to the other challenges of life and can really take away from my relationship with God.
Every day, but just a moment of the up is worth all of the down. I have been thinking alot on the patience of Joseph lately.
I love Peter also.
You know Jesus probably laughed out load and shook His head when Peter jumped off the boat when he saw Him on the shore after He had risen.(John 21:7) That is one of my favorite passages in the Word. How He had fixed the fire to cook and sit and eat with them, such a friend. He said “you got any meat?”
Puts a smile on my face every time.
Thanks, Pete. Really needed that today!
I have been there. In the valley or wilderness. I just want God to hurry up but we can’t rush the wilderness. Some things just take time. Just like flowers in bloom. There is planting. There is a harvest. What’s in the middle…Waiting.
“You can’t microwave spiritual formation.”
Awesome line. Yes I feel like Peter all the time, as I feel I am up and down a lot.