God has created us to enjoy an extraordinary life! I’ll be satisfied with nothing less!

God gives us the power to choose to follow him and be changed by him. But there are a couple more stifling misconceptions that prevent us from experiencing the radical life change that he wants to bring about in us. We all fail spiritually, but have you ever caught yourself saying something like the following? “I experience spiritual failure because I lack the strength, knowledge, support, environment, opportunity, etc. to succeed.” I know I have! But we’ve got to be very careful about this kind of thinking.

The idea that someone or something else is responsible for our failure is deadly and will kill our spiritual growth! Our culture has become so blame oriented that we don’t even recognize how often we blame others or something else for our own shortcomings. In the Quest book I refer to this as a victim mentality. There is a cardinal principle that prevails when it comes to seeing oneself as a victim. Simply put, a victim never wins—never! A victim will always find themselves powerless under the control of someone or something else.

If we constantly view ourselves as victims, then that’s where we’ll stay. But this is neither a biblical nor a healthy view. Paul declares, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37) Paul says this in the context of suffering, persecution and the challenge of overcoming our weaknesses to be conformed to the likeness of Christ. (Romans 8:28-39)

The liberating truth that corrects this misconception says, when I experience spiritual failure it is because I fail to take advantage of God’s power. Check out 1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT, “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.”

God is with us! He wants us to win spiritually even more than we do. We need to press into him, walk with him and trust him daily. He provides us with the power and opportunity to follow him.

Another stifling misconception similar to the previous one that derails our spiritual growth says, “I am satisfied to live a life that is better than most.” I have two sons and a daughter. I can’t imagine myself saying to one of them, “Son (or Daughter), I want you to live a life that is better than most.” Such thinking sets us up for failure and presumes we even can know “what is better than most”. And who are the “most”?

When God draws us into his family and we become his son or daughter, the Scripture says that his plan for us is to become like Jesus in character (Romans 8:29). God’s design for us is lofty—not second rate—not better than most! The liberating truth here proclaims God has created us to enjoy an extraordinary life! I’ll be satisfied with nothing less! This is my desire and pursuit. I pray that it’s yours as well!

©2009 Rob Fischer