August 3, 2023 - 2 Peter 3:18

“But continue to grow and increase in God’s grace and intimacy with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. May he receive all the glory both now and until the day eternity begins. Amen!” 2 Peter 3:18 NLT

Lord, we need your help so that we can continue to press into you and continue to see growth in our walk with you. We want to see our intimacy with you become richer every day. We thank you that you want these things too. We need your help to see all these things happen in our lives. Please give us more of a desire to get out of our comfort zones to make these things happen. Give us the strength and the courage that we need. Growing means pushing into the unknown, which means leaving our comfort zone. It means exploring new places with you. It will often call us to lay down things that we would rather hold on to. It will cause us to sacrifice our time and other things we may treasure to find more of you. Lord, help us be willing to do these things.

As we face different choices throughout today, let us see these choices through your eyes. Let us look at them and ask ourselves which choice will cause us to grow more in you and your characteristics, and which choice will allow us to continue walking in our safety/comfort zones. Help us choice by choice to choose to step forward into growth. Each step will bring us closer to you and being more like you. Open our eyes to the times where we are choosing to step back into our comfort zone. Lord, we know that the safest place we can be is right in the center of your will. Stepping forward into more of you, even though it might not feel comfortable will be the safest place for us. Even if it is scary, give us the courage to always choose to leap forward with you. When we move forward in your strength instead of in our own then you will get all the glory in our lives. Let it be so, Jesus.

In Jesus name, amen.