Devotional Time with God

These things I plan won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day!

Habakkuk 2:3

There is instant saving, by accepting Jesus as my personal Lord and savior.  But, there is no instant maturity. There is no instant growth – especially not the strong growth that I expect. There are many things I need to get rid of in my life:

• Anger issues: I need to restrain myself when I’m angry because the zoo comes out when I do. I forget what I’ve learned and became instantly stupid.  This is costly, especially for my relationships with others, especially with my wife.
• Tact issues: I tend to speak my mind, but that is not a good thing all the time. In fact, I best serve others but holding back, because I’m not even correct most of the time!  I make mistakes and shouldn’t compound it with a motor mouth.
• Lust issues: My thoughts can run wild – it’s a struggle a man always have. The devil always tells me it’s part of being the male species. However, I don’t have to give in to it. Thoughts may come, but I won’t (and can’t) let it take action!
• Worry issues: I can be a perfectionist, at times. I care too much, sometimes about things that don’t matter. Instead of focusing on the priorities and what matters most (like God and family), I focus on the trivial issues like work, friendship, or politics.
• Dishonesty issues: I won’t lie, but sometimes lie is the way to get out of embarrassing situations, for myself or for my family.  I also use half-truths, which is still a lie. I’ll also include ignorance as a self-imposed lie.  This is the devil’s handiest tool to stifle my growth. I must be completely honest to God and to others.

I’ll hang on to God’s promise that He’ll transform me, slowly. I want to grow like an oak tree, not a mushroom. Strong and majestic is my goal. With Jesus as my role model, I’m slowly getting there!

In what area of my spiritual growth do I need to be more patient and persistent?

The Purpose Driven Life, p. 223

After answering the book’s “Question to Consider” for past 10 chapters or so, it becomes clear to me that my main problem (being quick to anger) needs a lot of work and time to fix. I see myself correcting my attitude several times, especially during commute and dealing with co-workers. I need to have more patience. I’ve been dealing with this problem ever since high school. I was a sarcastic young man with no accountability, which led me to low grades in school and failed relationships. I wish I can say I’ve completely turned that around, but the turn is slow. I must be persistent and go against the resistance. I am encouraged when God has something to say about this in Habakkuk 2:3 (CEV):

At the time I have decided, my words will come true. You can trust what I say about the future. It may take a long time, but keep on waiting– it will happen!

In order for a tree to grow, it requires wind, sun, soil, and water to grow. The wind is the test and trouble in life. The sun is God’s grace. The soil is the people around me. The water is God’s word. Over a long time, I will need all of that to grow like a strong oak tree.