Growing in Faith: Scripture Writing Plan March 2023

My middle daughter started playing tennis last spring. The city runs a tennis center with group coaching classes, so we gave it a shot. Initially, she was grouped with the younger (and less experienced kids). She showed up for every session, practiced at home in good weather, and eventually joined the advanced group. She often felt intimidated by those talented and confident players. However, she told me that she would never improve if she didn’t start playing against people who were more experienced. There were plenty of practices in which she’d get in the car frustrated or annoyed because they treated her with disdain… But she kept showing up

…practice after practice…

…in intense heat, and icy cold…

…sometimes feeling discouraged.

In spite of all the setbacks and frustrations, she has grown into a very consistent and disciplined tennis player. On Saturday, I had the opportunity to watch her compete in a doubles tournament. I was very impressed, not only with her consistency and intense focus, but her growth! Her doubles partner was amazing and they encouraged each other throughout the day-long tournament–and placed first in their division.

She has learned through violin, tennis, and even her academics, that to advance requires Practice, Persistence, and Pluck.

In our walk with Christ, maturity requires the same elements.

While God’s commandments are simple to understand, they are not easy to execute. Forgiving others, for instance, is not an easy task, but in order for it to happen, I have to practice forgiving smaller offenses, persistently chip away at the bigger offenses, and have the pluck to let go of my desire for justification. Sharing the gospel with others is not my forte either, but I’ll never improve if I don’t practice sharing, persist in reaching out, and develop my courage to talk about it!

What happens if you don’t grow?

What if you just want to maintain the status quo?

Stagnation.

Dullness.

Decay.

Christ has not called us to such things. He desires us to sharpen one another, to grow through adversity, and to deepen our relationship with the Father. It doesn’t happen by accident. You’ve got to keep practicing new things, persisting in the hard things, and exercising some pluck in the scary things.

Are you growing?

Do you desire to grow in maturity in the Lord or do you think you’ve “arrived?”

There will always be room for improvement until Jesus calls us home. Keep growing in your faith!

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New to scripture writing? Not sure where to start? Check out this post: How to Use Scripture Writing Plans

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*Special thanks to Sarah McBroom and Liz Smith for their help with these plans each month!*