“I want us to help each other with the faith we have. Your faith will help me, and my faith will help you.” Romans 1:12 (NCV)
God wired you so that when you help other people grow, God helps you grow. You never grow faster than when you’re in fellowship with other believers and encouraging each other’s commitment to following Jesus Christ.
The Bible says in 1 Timothy 4:7, “Keep yourself in training for a godly life” (GNT). How do you keep training for a godly life? You stay in a small group, and you get a spiritual partner. Have you noticed that it’s always easier to exercise when you’re doing it with somebody else? In the same way, you need someone to walk alongside you through your journey of faith, and you need to make the same commitment to other people.
The world today doesn’t push you to commit to much of anything. It’s all about getting what you want right now. What you want can change from day to day, so the world says to just start going after something new each day, whether that’s a hobby, a job, a ministry, or even a person.
Nothing affects your life more than your commitments. Tell me what you’re committed to, and I’ll tell you what you’re going to be in 20 years, because you are becoming whatever you are committed to. Your commitments shape your life! And if you’re not committed to anything, other people are shaping your life.
Your commitments not only affect here and now; they also affect eternity, because every choice you make has eternal consequences. That’s why the Bible says in Romans 1:12, “I want us to help each other with the faith we have. Your faith will help me, and my faith will help you” (NCV).
That’s why you need a church family, and that’s why you need a small group. When Christians commit to each other, we encourage each other to stay on track and keep our other commitments. We help each other out!
PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick
Talk It Over
What does it look like to have a spiritual partner? What kind of commitment does it require?
Why do you think God wired us to need each other?
What do you want to be in five years? What commitments can you make today that will help you get where you want to be spiritually, relationally, physically, and emotionally?
This devotional © 2023 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Nothing affects your life more than your commitments. Your commitments shape your life! Learn more about why you need encouragement to stay committed in your faith journey in today’s #DailyHope devotional.
Rick Warren Bio
Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church, one of America’s largest and most influential churches. Pastor Rick is the author of the New York Times bestseller The Purpose Driven Life. His book The Purpose Driven Church was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th century. Pastor Rick created The PEACE Plan to address the five global giants—spiritual emptiness, self-serving leadership, poverty, disease, and illiteracy—through the power of ordinary people in the local church. His Daily Hope broadcast and daily devotionals are offered around the world. You can listen to the broadcast or sign up for the free devotionals at PastorRick.com.
Tags
40 Days of Community – 2023, Community, Christian Living, Spiritual Growth, Encouragement, Discipline, Eternity, God’s Family, Friends, Romans 1, 1 Timothy 4
Broadcast Series: 40 Days of Community – 2023
Sermon Series: 40 Days of Community
Sermon: 016204_How We Help Each Other Grow
