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Part of series: Permission to Feel · Day 5 of 5
True Greatness
Greatness comes through spiritual incrementalism—small daily steps that accumulate to produce great growth.
01Read
Greatness doesn’t come from perfectly practicing God-reliance for five days. It comes through spiritual incrementalism—small daily steps that accumulate to produce great growth. This has been a weeklong experiment of making small, courageous choices to bring our hard things to God first instead of last.
We are successful when we can tell others: “Here’s what it feels like to rely on God instead of myself.”
All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort—we get a full measure of that, too.
2 Corinthians 1:3 MSG
Once we experience this God-awakening of turning from self-reliance to God-reliance, we become people who can make spiritual attachments. They involve not only conversation but also intimacy, trust, and reliance upon one another. Filled with forgiveness and understanding, these attachments allow us to sustain relationships over decades. They deepen over time, weaving us together spiritually and emotionally in ways impossible without the love of God, which he shows us and we then show others.
Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. [26] Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, [27] and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— [28] just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Matthew 20:25-28 NIV
Jesus replied, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ [38] This is the first and greatest commandment. [39] A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
Matthew 22:37-39 NLT
The spiritual growth we have experienced this week culminates in the ability of our hearts to come alive deeply attach. True greatness comes from our capacity to love—first God, and then other people.
02Reflect
What it feels like to rely on God
Pray, write, or talk with a friend about these questions:
- How has God shown up this week when I practiced depending on him?
- What’s one area where I moved from self-reliance to God-reliance, even imperfectly?
- How has my love for God grown as I have learned to depend on him?
03Act
Share your breakthrough.
Morning/Midday:
Think about what you’ve learned this week about God-reliance. Identify one person who is struggling with self-reliance in an area of their life.
Share with them one thing you learned this week about depending on God. Be specific: “This week I realized I was trying to handle [area] all by myself. When I started bringing it to God first, here’s what changed…”
Evening:
Pray, write, or talk with a friend about these questions: How did it feel to share what God is teaching you? Did sharing it deepen your own understanding of God-reliance?
04Keep going
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- The Comfort Carriers Quick Quiet Time
Finished Day 5?
Day 5 done.