Good vs. Great - Devotional

Read This: “Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, endure in suffering, persist in prayer. (Romans 12:11-12)

Watch This:

Think: A lot of things are good in life, or at least good enough. But we live in a culture that for the most part expects better than good—we want great. Why have good when you can have great, right? Who wants a good doctor when you could have a great doctor? Why have a good car when you can have a great car? Yet when it comes to our spiritual lives and our relationship with God, we seem to compromise. Accepting good, when great is at our fingertips.

There are lots of reasons we become complacent in our walk with God. We get caught up in our own agendas, the daily routine of work, family, church, etc. God gets put on the back burner for a little bit, just until we get a handle on what we’ve got going on. Or maybe some sin gets in the way. We know it, and of course God knows it. But we just aren’t ready to face it head on. God will forgive us when we’re ready, right?

The truth is, we are only fooling ourselves. Nothing in our lives will ever be truly great until we get the most important thing right. It might seem like focusing on God is taking away from others in our lives, but nothing could be further from the truth. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, great things overflow from our hearts into the lives of those around us. We can’t be great friends, spouses, parents, church leaders or anything else without relying on God. He is the one who gives us strength to love unconditionally, counsel with discernment, and bring us joy in the face of disappointment.

Don’t settle for just getting by in your relationship with Christ. Make him a vibrant part of your life so that on that day you can stand before him knowing you did your best. You can say with confidence as the apostle Paul said, “I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7).

Ask: Has your relationship with God become routine in some ways? How would a description of your relationship with God compare to descriptions of other relationships in your life?

Pray: Spend some serious one on one with God asking Him to show you areas of your life that keep you from serving Him one hundred percent.