Guiding Scripture: 2 Corinthians 3:18 - “So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.” (NLT)
- As Christians, we know that God is calling us to become more and more like Him over time, but what does it look like to move from one level to the next? How do we know when we’ve achieved a new level of holiness and maturity in God, and how should we respond?
- Your prayer life changes.
- You spend more time recognizing where your weaknesses end and God’s strength begins (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
- You spend less time praising God, and more time worshipping Him. Praise is acknowledging God for what He has done, while worship is acknowledging Him for who He is.
- You spend less time talking to God, and more time hearing from Him.
- Your thinking changes.
- Romans 12:2 - “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
- Your speech changes.
- Psalm 141:3 - “O LORD, set a guard at my mouth. Keep watch over the door of my lips.
- 1 Corinthians 13:11 - “When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things.”
- Your behavior changes.
- You are more stable and not easily swayed in your emotions by false teaching (Ephesians 4:14).
- You have studied the word of God to the point where you can teach or explain it to others (Hebrews 5:12).
- You don’t just listen to God’s word, but you also do what it says (James 1:22).
- Your relationships change.
- Proverbs 12:26 - “The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.”
- Listen to Season 2, Episode 41 of Purpose Without Apology (“When God Changes Your Social Circle”) for an in-depth discussion about how to respond to this type of “leveling up.”
Action Step: Answer the following questions during your quiet time with God: What is one way that God is encouraging me to “level up” in this season? Have I been embracing this change or resisting it? How can I respond to God’s maturing process in a better way?
