Maybe you’re starting this journey with a lot of questions.
Maybe you love God but still find yourself struggling with things you wish you could overcome. Maybe you’re trying to understand what having a real relationship with God actually looks like. Maybe you’re in a season where you don’t know what’s next, and you’re wondering why God hasn’t answered you yet.
Or maybe you’re simply trying to figure out who you’re becoming.
If any of that sounds familiar, this week is for you.
Week One is about taking an honest look at your faith—not the perfect version of faith we sometimes feel like we’re supposed to have, but the real, everyday kind.
Because following God doesn’t mean you’ll suddenly have every answer. It doesn’t mean you’ll never struggle again. It doesn’t mean you’ll always feel close to Him or understand what He’s doing.
It means you’re learning to walk with Him through all of it.
Over the next seven days, we’re going to talk about what it looks like to move forward when you don’t have everything figured out, what it really means to have a relationship with God, and how to hold onto your faith while still being honest about the things you’re struggling with.
We’ll also take time to look at the things we’re holding onto, what it means when God feels silent, and the person we’re becoming as we continue to grow.
And by the end of the week, we’ll talk about something we all need sometimes:
Starting again.
Because sometimes you need to remember that one difficult day doesn’t define your entire journey. One mistake doesn’t erase your growth. One season doesn’t determine your future.
God’s grace gives us the opportunity to keep going.
So don’t come into this week expecting yourself to have all the answers.
Come curious.
Come honest.
Come willing to learn.
Come exactly as you are.
Take each day slowly. Read the Scripture. Sit with the message. Think about the questions. Write down what comes to mind. And give yourself permission to be honest with God about where you are right now.
You don’t have to pretend.
You don’t have to have perfect faith.
You don’t have to become someone else before you can begin growing.
Just begin.
A Scripture to Carry With You
“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.”
— James 4:8
Let this be the heart of Week One:
You don’t have to have everything figured out to start growing with God.
You just have to be willing to take the next step.
Welcome to Week One.
—Rooted and Becoming
Week One
Growing with God
Day 1: You don’t need to have everything figured out
You don’t need to see the whole staircase to take the next steps
If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably felt the pressure to have your whole life figured out.
You feel like you should know what you’re doing, where you’re going, who you’re supposed to be, and what your future is going to look life. You might look around and see people getting married, starting careers, going to college, buying houses, or seemingly having their lives completely together.
And then you look at yourself and think, “what am I doing?’
Maybe you’re scared that you’re falling behind.
Maybe you feel like you’re supposed to have a five-year plan, but you don’t even know what you’re doing next week.
Maybe you feel like everyone else has it together except for you.
I want to remind you of something today:
You don’t have to have everything figured out.
You don’t have to know every step of your future to trust the God who already knows it.
Sometimes we put so much pressure on ourselves to figure everything out that we forget that God never asked us to do that.
Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your path straight.”
Notice how that doesn’t say, “Figure everything out and then trust God.”
It says trust him.
There will be seasons when you don’t understand what God is doing. There will be moments when you don’t know why you’re where you are. You might not understand why one door closed or why another door hasn’t opened yet.
But not understanding doesn’t mean God isn’t working.
Sometimes God is doing something in your life that you cant see yet.
Think about it this way: You don’t have to see the entire staircase to take the next step.
You just have to trust God enough to take the step that’s in front of you.
Maybe right now, your next step is simply getting closer to God.
Maybe its forgiving someone.
Maybe its letting go of something you’ve been holding onto.
Maybe its starting over.
Maybe its taking care of yourself.
Maybe its going back to school.
Maybe its finding a new job.
Maybe its learning how to love yourself the way God loves you.
Maybe its simply getting out of bed and choosing to believe that tomorrow can be different.
Whatever your next step is, you don’t have to know where every step after that will lead.
God does.
And that’s enough.
Your life doesn’t have to look like everyone else’s.
You are not behind because your journey look different.
You are not a failure because you don’t have everything figured out.
You are not to far behind for God to use you.
And you are not to broken for God to restore you.
Sometimes we get so focused on where we think were supposed to be that we forget to appreciate where God has us right now.
Maybe this season isn’t about having all the answers.
Maybe its about learning to trust.
Maybe its about becoming the person God is calling you to be.
Maybe its about realizing that your identity isn’t found in your job, your relationship status, your accomplishments, your past, or what other people think about you.
Your identity is found in Christ.
you are Gods creation.
You are loved.
You are seen.
You are known.
And you are still becoming.
So if you’re reading this today and you’re worried about your future, take a breath.
You don’t have to have everything figured out today.
You don’t have to know exactly where you’ll be five years from now.
You don’t have to compare your journey to someone else’s.
You just have to trust God with the step that’s in front of you.
God already knows where you are going.
Your job is not to know the whole plan.
Your job is to trust the One who does.
A Prayer for Today
God,
I dont always know what i’m doing or where my life is going. Sometimes i’m afraid that i’m falling behind or that i’m not where i’m supposed to be.
Help me remember that I don’t have to have everything figured out.
Teach me to trust you even when I don’t understand.
Help me stop comparing my journey to everyone else’s.
Give me the courage to take the next step, even when I cant see the whole path.
remind me that my future is safe in your hands.
Thank you for loving me through every season and for never leaving me.
Help me trust you with my life, my future, my relationships, my dreams and my fears.
I don't have all the answers, but I know you do.
And today, i’m choosing to trust you.
Amen.
Remember This
You don’t have to have everything figured out. You just have to trust the God who does.
If you’re in a season where you feel lost, confused, or behind, know that you’re not alone. Keep going. Keep praying. Keep trusting.
God isn’t finished with you yet.
—Rooted and Becoming
Day 2: What does it mean to have a relationship with God?
A relationship with God isn't built overnight. It's built one prayer, one step of faith, and one day at a time.
James 4:8, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you”
Yesterday we talked about how you don't have to have everything figured out. Life can feel overwhelming, especially when you're trying to figure out your purpose, make important decisions, or simply navigate everyday challenges. The good news is that God never expected you to have all the answers before coming to Him.
Today, let's answer a question that gets asked a lot:
What does it actually mean to have a relationship with God?
A relationship with God isn't about checking boxes, being "good enough," or pretending to have it all together. It's about knowing Him personally.
Think about your closest friend. You didn't become friends overnight. You spent time together. You talked. You listened. You learned what mattered to each other. Over time, trust grew because you invested in the relationship.
A relationship with God works the same way.
God isn't looking for perfection—He's looking for your heart.
Sometimes people think Christianity is just a list of rules or expectations. While God does call us to live differently, following Him starts with a relationship, not a rule book. Rules without relationship can feel exhausting, but when you know God's heart, obedience becomes an act of love rather than obligation.
When Jesus died on the cross and rose again, He made a way for us to know God personally. Before Jesus, sin separated humanity from God. Through His sacrifice, that separation was removed for everyone who puts their faith in Him. We don't have to earn His love because He's already given it to us.
That's what makes Christianity unique. It's not about working your way to God—it's about accepting the invitation He has already extended to you.
So what does a relationship with God look like?
Talking to Him. That's prayer. It doesn't have to sound fancy or perfect. God already knows what's on your heart, but He wants you to bring it to Him anyway. Talk to Him like you would a loving Father or a trusted friend.
Listening to Him. The primary way God speaks to us is through His Word, the Bible. The more you read it, the more you begin to understand His character, His promises, and His guidance for your life.
Trusting Him. Even when life doesn't make sense, a relationship grows as we choose to believe God is good and faithful. Trust isn't built in a single moment—it's built every time we choose to rely on Him.
Walking with Him daily. It's not just something for Sundays. God wants to be part of your everyday life—your school, work, friendships, decisions, fears, dreams, victories, and even your disappointments.
Here's something that might surprise you:
You don't have to clean yourself up before coming to God.
Sometimes we think, "I'll pray once I stop messing up," or "I'll get serious about God after I get my life together."
But that's backwards.
God meets us exactly where we are. He loves us too much to leave us there, but He never waits for us to become perfect before welcoming us.
Throughout the Bible, we see Jesus spending time with ordinary, broken people. He didn't choose people because they had perfect lives—He chose people who were willing to follow Him. That same invitation is still available today.
If you're just starting your journey with Jesus, don't worry about knowing everything. No one has every answer, and that's okay. Focus on knowing Him.
Relationships aren't built in a day—they're built one conversation, one moment, one step of faith at a time. Some days you'll feel close to God, and other days you may feel distant. Your feelings will change, but God's love and faithfulness never do.
Keep showing up. Keep praying. Keep reading His Word. Keep asking questions. Every small step you take toward God matters, and He promises to draw near to those who seek Him.
Final Thoughts
A relationship with God isn't built overnight. It's built one prayer, one step of faith, and one day at a time.
You don't have to know everything to know God. You don't have to be perfect to come to Him. All He asks is that you come as you are.
Wherever you are in your journey today, know that God is ready to meet you there.
Reflection Question: What's one step you can take today to grow closer to God?
—Rooted and Becoming
Day 3: I love God, But I’m Still Struggling
Don't let your struggle convince you that God has left you. He's closer than you think, walking with you through every step of the journey.
There comes a point in almost every Christians journey where they quietly ask themselves a question they may never say out loud:
“If I really love God, why am I still struggling?”
Maybe you’ve asked yourself that question too.
You gave your life to Christ because you genuinely wanted to follow him. You’ve started praying more consistently, you’ve been reading your bible, you’re trying to make better choices, and you’re doing your best to live in a way that honors God. Yet somehow, you still find yourself battling the same fears, the same temptations, the same doubts, or the same habits you thought would disappear the moment you become a Christian.
When that happens, it's easy to believe that something bust be wrong with your faith.
You may even begin wondering if God is disappointed in you because you haven’t ‘grown enough’ or because you keep finding yourself in the same place.
But the truth is, struggling doesn’t mean your faith is weak.
It means you’re growing.
Following Jesus Doesn’t Mean Life Becomes Easy
One of the biggest misconceptions about the Christian life is the idea that once we choose to follow Jesus, every problem disappears and every struggle fades away.
If that were true, then every Christian would live free from pain, temptation, anxiety, disappointment, and hardship.
But that’s not what we see in the bible.
Jesus never promised his followers a life without struggles. Instead, he promised that no matter what they faced, he would never leave them to face it alone.
There is a huge difference between living a life without struggles and living a life where God walks with you through every struggle.
As Christians, we still experience difficult seasons, but we now have someone who carries us through them.
Growth Takes Time
Think about planting a seed in the ground.
The day you plant it, nothing looks different. The soil looks exactly the same as it did before, and if you judged the seed by what you could see on the surface, you might assume that nothing is happening at all.
But underneath the soil, roots are beginning to grow.
The process is slow.
It’s quiet.
It’s often invisible.
Yet every single day, that seed is becoming stronger until one day it finally breaks through the surface.
Our relationship with God often grows the same way.
Sometimes God is doing his greatest work in the places we can’t see yet.
He’s teaching us patience when we’d rather have immediate answers.
He’s building our faith when life feels uncertain.
He’s shaping our character through situations we never would have chosen for ourselves.
Just because your growth isn’t obvious today doesn’t mean God isn’t working in your life.
You’re Not the Only One Who Struggles
Sometimes we compare ourselves to other Christians and assume they have everything together.
They seem confident.
Their faith appears unshakable.
They always know the right verses to quote.
They always seem joyful.
But the truth is, every believer has struggles that other people don’t see.
The bible is filled with people who deeply loved God while still wrestling with fear, failure, discouragement, and weakness.
David loved God, yet he made heartbreaking mistakes.
Elijah experienced incredible miracles, yet he also became so discouraged that he wanted to give up.
Peter boldly followed Jesus, but he still denied him when fear took over.
Even Paul, one of the greatest missionaries in history, prayed repeatedly for God to remove a struggle from his life, yet God’s answer wasn’t immediate healing.
Instead, God reminded Paul:
“My Grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9
That verse reminds us that God’s strength isn’t revealed when we have everything together.
His strength is revealed when we choose to depend on him in the middle of our weakness.
Don’t Let Shame Keep You Away
One of the enemy's greatest strategies is convincing Christians that because they're struggling, they should stay away from God until they "get their life together."
Maybe you've thought things like:
"I'll pray once I stop messing up."
"I'll read my Bible when I feel closer to God."
"God is probably tired of hearing the same prayer from me."
Those thoughts don't come from God.
God has never asked you to clean yourself up before coming to Him.
In fact, He invites you to bring every burden, every failure, every fear, and every question directly to Him.
He already knows what you're carrying.
He simply wants you to stop carrying it alone.
The moments when you feel least worthy of approaching God are often the moments when you need Him the most.
Keep Coming Back
Your relationship with God isn't measured by whether you never struggle.
It's measured by whether you continue turning back to Him when you do.
Some days your prayers will feel powerful.
Other days they may feel like nothing more than, "God, I don't know what to do."
Both prayers matter.
Some days you'll feel incredibly close to God.
Other days you'll wonder where He is.
Keep showing up anyway.
Faith isn't about always feeling God's presence.
Sometimes faith is choosing to trust that He's with you even when you can't feel Him.
Before You Leave Today…
If you're struggling with something right now, don't let it convince you that God has given up on you.
The same God who saved you is the same God who is patiently growing you.
He sees every victory that no one else notices.
He sees every temptation you've resisted.
He sees every tear you've cried in private.
He sees every prayer you've whispered when you felt like no one else understood.
And through all of it, His love for you has never changed.
Your struggle is not greater than God's grace.
Your weakness is not stronger than His power.
Your failures are not bigger than His forgiveness.
So keep praying.
Keep trusting.
Keep taking one step after another, even when progress feels slow.
Because the God who began a good work in you is faithful to finish it.
Take A Moment
Instead of asking yourself,
"Why am I still struggling?"
Ask yourself,
"How is God using this season to make me more like Him?"
Sometimes the greatest evidence of God's work isn't that your struggle disappears overnight.
Sometimes it's the fact that, even in the middle of your struggle, you're still choosing to walk with Him one faithful step at a time.
—Rooted and Becoming
Day 4: What are you holding on to?
You can't receive what God has for you while you're still holding tightly to what He's asking you to surrender.
What if the thing you're praying for isn't the only thing God wants to change? What if He is also asking you to release something?
That's a harder question than it sounds.
We talk a lot about wanting God to move in our lives. We ask Him for peace. We ask Him for healing. We ask Him to open doors, restore relationships, change our circumstances, and give us direction. We pray for something new while sometimes still holding tightly to something old.
And if we're being honest, letting go can be terrifying.
Sometimes we hold onto things because they're familiar. Even when something isn't good for us anymore, at least we know what to expect from it. We know how it feels. We know what tomorrow might look like. Letting go means stepping into something unknown, and the unknown can feel scarier than the thing we're already used to.
Maybe you're holding onto a relationship God has been asking you to walk away from.
Maybe you're holding onto anger because someone hurt you and you're not ready to forgive.
Maybe you're holding onto your past because you haven't figured out how to see yourself beyond the mistakes you've made.
Maybe you're holding onto control because trusting God feels harder than trying to handle everything yourself.
Maybe you're holding onto an addiction, a habit, a friendship, an insecurity, a version of yourself, or even a dream that you've convinced yourself you can't live without.
And maybe you've prayed, "God, change my life," without realizing that part of that change requires you to open your hands.
Sometimes we ask God for freedom while holding onto the chains.
I know what it's like to desperately want something to change but still have a hard time letting go.
There was a time in my life when I was trying to carry things that were never mine to carry. I thought if I loved someone enough, stayed long enough, forgave enough, or tried hard enough, I could somehow fix everything. I kept believing that if I just held on a little longer, things would eventually become what I wanted them to be.
But the harder I held on, the more exhausted I became.
I was trying to control an outcome that was never mine to control.
And sometimes that's what surrender looks like.
It's not always a dramatic moment where everything suddenly makes sense.
Sometimes surrender is simply saying:
"God, I don't understand this, but I trust You."
"God, I don't want to let this go, but I trust that You know what's best for me."
"God, I'm scared of what happens next, but I'm choosing You anyway."
That kind of surrender takes courage.
Because letting go doesn't mean you didn't care.
It doesn't mean the relationship didn't matter.
It doesn't mean the dream wasn't important.
It doesn't mean the years you spent struggling were meaningless.
It means you're finally trusting God more than you're trusting your own ability to control the outcome.
So take a moment.
Put everything else aside.
No scrolling.
No distractions.
No pretending.
Just be honest with yourself.
What are you still holding onto?
What is the first thing that came to your mind?
Don't ignore it.
Sometimes the thing that immediately comes to mind is the very thing we've been avoiding.
And maybe you're thinking, "But I can't let it go."
Maybe you're right.
Maybe you can't do it by yourself.
But that's the beautiful part.
God never asked you to surrender because He expected you to do it alone.
You can bring Him the attachment.
You can bring Him the fear.
You can bring Him the anger.
You can bring Him the relationship.
You can bring Him the addiction.
You can bring Him the past.
You can bring Him every part of yourself that you're afraid to release.
You don't have to clean yourself up first.
You don't have to figure out how to let go before you come to God.
Just open your hands.
And maybe surrender doesn't mean you'll immediately stop missing what you released. Maybe it doesn't mean you'll never question your decision. Maybe it doesn't mean the pain disappears overnight.
It simply means you've decided that God's plan for your life is worth trusting, even when you can't see the entire picture.
There are things in our lives that we desperately want God to remove, but sometimes He starts by asking us to release our grip on them.
Not because He wants to take something good away from us.
Because He knows what we cannot see.
I used to think surrender meant losing.
Now I see it differently.
Sometimes surrender is how you finally become free.
The thing you are afraid to release might be taking up the space where God wants to bring something new.
So today, don't ask yourself only, "What do I want God to change?"
Ask yourself:
"What am I still holding onto that God is asking me to give Him?"
And when you find the answer, you don't have to know exactly what comes next.
You just have to take the next step.
Open your hands.
Give it to Him.
Trust Him with what happens after.
Because sometimes the beginning of a new chapter doesn't start when God gives us something.
Sometimes it starts when we finally let go.
—Rooted and Becoming
Day 5: When you feel like god is silent
The waiting is painful, but don't mistake silence for abandonment.
God is still writing the story.
Have you ever prayed for something so many times that eventually, you stopped knowing what else to say?
You prayed about it in the morning. You thought about it throughout the day. You cried about it at night. You asked God to change something, to open a door, to give you a breakthrough, to finally let you see the reason behind the season you were in.
And then...
Nothing.
No obvious answer.
No sudden breakthrough.
No sign telling you what to do next.
Just waiting.
I think one of the hardest parts of having faith is believing in a God you cannot always see moving.
We talk about trusting God when He answers our prayers, but what about when He doesn't answer them the way we expected? What about when you've been waiting for months, or even years, and you're starting to wonder if God is listening at all?
I've been there.
There have been seasons in my life where I desperately wanted a breakthrough. I wanted God to change something, fix something, or finally give me the answer I had been praying for. I wanted to understand why I was still waiting when I felt like I had already waited long enough.
And sometimes, if I'm being completely honest, God's silence made me question things.
Did I do something wrong?
Is God even listening?
Why hasn't anything changed?
When is this finally going to get better?
Maybe you've asked those same questions.
Maybe you're in that season right now.
You're watching everyone around you seemingly move forward while you're still standing in the same place, asking God when it's going to be your turn.
But I've learned something about waiting:
Silence doesn't mean absence.
Just because you can't hear God doesn't mean He isn't working.
Think about a seed buried beneath the ground. From the surface, it looks like nothing is happening. You can't see the roots growing. You can't see what is happening underneath. If you only judged the situation by what you could see, you might assume nothing was happening at all.
But underneath the surface, something is growing.
Sometimes our lives are like that.
We want God to show us the finished product, while He's working on things we can't see yet.
We want the breakthrough, but God may be building our faith.
We want the answer, but God may be teaching us patience.
We want the door to open, but God may be preparing us for what is on the other side.
And sometimes, we simply don't understand what He's doing.
That's hard.
Faith isn't always feeling confident. Sometimes faith is saying, "God, I don't understand You right now, but I still trust You."
It's continuing to pray when you don't know when the answer is coming.
It's opening your Bible when you don't feel anything.
It's showing up to church when your heart feels heavy.
It's worshiping even when your circumstances haven't changed.
It's choosing to believe that God is good even when your life doesn't feel good right now.
And maybe that's what God is asking of you in this season.
Not to figure everything out.
Not to force your breakthrough.
Not to create your own answer.
Just to trust Him.
Because sometimes we become so focused on when God is going to move that we miss what He is doing in us while we're waiting.
Waiting has a way of exposing what's really in our hearts.
It can show us how badly we want control.
It can reveal how much we depend on circumstances to determine whether we're okay.
It can teach us that our faith cannot be built entirely on answered prayers.
Because what happens when the prayer isn't answered immediately?
Who is God to you then?
That's where faith becomes real.
I don't know what you're waiting for as you're reading this.
Maybe you're waiting for healing.
Maybe you're waiting for a relationship to change.
Maybe you're waiting for an opportunity.
Maybe you're waiting for your family situation to get better.
Maybe you're waiting for God to give you direction.
Or maybe, like me, you're waiting for a personal breakthrough that you've prayed about more times than you can count.
Whatever it is, I want you to remember this:
God has not forgotten you.
Your waiting season is not wasted.
Your prayers are not pointless.
Your tears are not unseen.
And God's silence does not mean He's abandoned you.
Sometimes God speaks through the answer.
Sometimes He speaks through the waiting.
And sometimes, the only thing you can hear is silence—but even there, He is still God.
So if you're waiting right now, don't give up just because you can't see what He's doing.
Keep praying.
Keep trusting.
Keep showing up.
Keep choosing Him.
Your breakthrough may not come when you expect it to, and it may not look exactly like you imagined. But you don't have to know the timing to trust the One who holds it.
Maybe today, instead of asking,
"God, when are You finally going to do something?"
try asking,
"God, what are You trying to teach me while I wait?"
Because maybe the waiting isn't just about what you're waiting for.
Maybe it's about who you're becoming while you wait.
And one day, when you look back, you may realize that God wasn't silent after all.
He was there the whole time.
You just couldn't see what He was doing yet.
—Rooted and Becoming
Day 6: Who Are You Becoming?
God isn't asking you to become perfect.
He's asking you to let Him transform you.
Its easy to spend so much time thinking about who you want to be that you forget to ask a different question:
Who am I becoming?
Not who do I want people to think I am? Not who was I five years ago? not who do I wish I could be overnight?
Who am I becoming through the choices I make everyday?
The truth is, becoming doesn’t happen all at once. It happens slowly, often in ways you don’t even notice.
Every conversation, every decision, every response, every habit, and every choice shapes the person you are becoming.
As a Christian, one of the most important questions you can ask yourself is:
Am I becoming more like Christ?
Following Jesus isn’t just about what you say you believe. It begins to show up in the person you are becoming.
Are you becoming more patient?
More compassionate?
More honest?
More forgiving?
More willing to serve?
More gentle with people?
More courageous in your faith?
More intentional about the way you treat others?
These changes may not happen overnight, but they matter.
God cares about who you are becoming
Sometimes we focus so much on what God can give us that we forgot he is also working on what he is forming in us.
God isn’t simply invested in changing your circumstances. He wants to shape your character.
Galatians 5:22-23 tells us about the fruit of the spirit:
“The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.”
Those qualities don’t appear in someones life just because they decided to call themselves a Christian.
They grow.
And growth takes time.
Think about a tree. You don’t wake up one morning and suddenly see a fully grown tree where there was nothing before. There was a process happening beneath the surface long before you could see the results.
Your spiritual growth can be like that.
There may be things God is developing in you right now that you wont fully recognize until months or even years from now.
Maybe you’re learning how to love people differently.
Maybe you’re becoming more confident in who God created you to be.
Maybe you’re learning to respond instead of react.
Maybe you’re becoming someone who encourages others instead of tearing them down.
Maybe you’re becoming someone who is more willing to admit when you’re wrong.
Maybe you’re learning to have integrity when nobody is watching.
Those things might not seem as exciting as a huge life-changing moment, but they are incredibly important.
Don’t compare your growth to someone else’s
One of the easiest ways to become discouraged is to look at someone else’s life and think, “why don't I have the faith they have?”
You might see someone who seems confident in their faith, knows the Bible really well, serves constantly, or seems to have everything together.
But you don’t know their entire journey.
You are not called to be someone else.
You are called to become the person God created you to be.
Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:17
“If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
Being a new creation doesn’t mean you suddenly become a completely different person overnight.
It means your life has a new directions.
Your priorities begin to change.
Your heart begins to change.
The way you see yourself and other people begin to change.
And little by little, your life being to reflect the One you’re following.
Pay attention to the little things
Sometimes we except spiritual growth to look dramatic.
We expect a huge moment where everything suddenly makes sense.
But growth can look incredibly ordinary.
It can look like choosing kindness when you could have been rude.
It can look like telling the truth when lying would have been easier.
It can look like encouraging someone who is having a difficult day.
It can look like choosing humility instead of needing to be right.
It can look like becoming more disciplined.
It can look like learning to apologize sincerely.
It can look like treating people with dignity even when they can’t do anything for you.
These small choices are not insignificant.
They are shaping you.
Who you become is being built in the ordinary moments of your life.
Give yourself permission to grow
You don’t have to have everything perfected before you can recognize that you’re growing.
Growth can be messy.
There will be days when you look at yourself and think, “I still have so much work to do.”
That’s okay.
The goal isn’t to wake up tomorrow and suddenly be perfect.
The goal is to keep becoming.
Philippians 1:6 says:
“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
God isn’t finished with you.
There is still more He wants to teach you, develop in you, and reveal to you.
So instead of only asking, “Where am I going?”
Ask yourself:
“Who am I becoming?”
Look at your character.
Look at your choices.
Look at the way you treat people.
Look at what you value.
Look at what you are allowing to shape you.
And then ask God to continue shaping you into someone who reflects Him.
You may not be the person you want to be yet.
But that doesn’t mean you’re standing still.
Sometimes the greatest evidence of growth is simply realizing that you’re not the same person you used to be.
You are becoming.
And God isn’t finished writing your story yet.
Take a Moment
Before moving on from today’s devotional, sit with these questions:
● Who am I becoming?
● What qualities do I see growing in myself?
● What kind of person do I want to become through my relationship with Christ?
● What is one character trait I want God to develop in me?
● If someone watched the way I lived without hearing me say I was a Christian, would they see something different?
You don’t have to answer perfectly.
Just be honest.
Because sometimes recognizing who you’re becoming is the first step toward becoming who God is calling you to be.
Prayer:
God, thank You for continuing to work in me. Help me become more like You in the way I think, speak, act, and treat others. Develop the qualities in me that reflect Your heart. Help me notice the growth happening in my life, even when it feels small. Give me the desire to keep growing and becoming the person You created me to be. Amen.
—Rooted and Becoming
Day 7: Start Again: Gods Grace For A New Week
Your past may explain where you've been, but it does not have the authority to decide where God is taking you. Start again.
There is something about a new week that feels like a fresh page.
Maybe last week didn't go the way you wanted it to. Maybe you made choices you're not proud of, said things you wish you could take back, fell back into an old habit, missed time with God, or simply felt like you weren't the person you wanted to be.
And now a new week is here.
Sometimes we look at a new week and think, “I need to do better this time.” We make promises to ourselves that this week will be different. We'll pray more. We'll read our Bible more. We'll have a better attitude. We'll stop doing that one thing we've been struggling with.
And while wanting to grow is a good thing, I think sometimes we forget something important:
We don't have to earn the opportunity to start again. God gives us grace to begin again.
Lamentations 3:22-23 says:
“It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”
Not just when we get everything right.
Not just when we have a perfect week.
Every morning.
That means when you wake up tomorrow, God's mercy hasn't run out because of what happened yesterday.
You don't have to carry yesterday into today as if God has already decided you're going to fail again.
You can start over.
Maybe that's what you need to hear today.
You are allowed to begin again.
Not because your mistakes don't matter, but because God's grace is bigger than your mistakes.
There is a difference between conviction and condemnation.
Conviction brings you back to God.
Condemnation tells you there is no point in going back.
Conviction says, “This needs to change.”
Condemnation says, “You'll never change.”
One leads you toward God. The other makes you want to hide from Him.
Romans 8:1 reminds us:
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.”
So if you messed up last week, don't spend this entire week punishing yourself for it.
Bring it to God.
If you need to apologize, apologize.
If you need to make something right, make it right.
If you need to change a decision, change it.
If you need to ask God for forgiveness, ask Him.
Then get back up.
Proverbs 24:16 says:
“For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again.”
Notice that the verse doesn't say the righteous person never falls.
It says they rise again.
That's what grace gives us the courage to do.
And maybe starting over doesn't mean completely changing your life overnight. Maybe it looks much smaller than that.
Maybe today you open your Bible again.
Maybe you pray again.
Maybe you go back to church.
Maybe you forgive someone.
Maybe you finally have the conversation you've been avoiding.
Maybe you make the decision you've been putting off.
Maybe you simply tell God, “I'm here. I don't know what this week is going to look like, but I want You in it.”
That's enough for today.
You don't need to know everything that's going to happen this week.
You don't need to become a completely different person by Monday morning.
You just need to take the next step.
And when you mess up again—and eventually, you probably will—remember that God's grace isn't something you use once and then run out of.
His grace meets you again.
His mercy is there again.
His love is there again.
That doesn't give us permission to live however we want. It gives us the freedom to stop running from God when we fail.
You can come back.
Every single time.
So as this new week begins, don't obsess over everything you did wrong last week.
Look at what God is inviting you into now.
A new week.
A new opportunity.
A new chance to grow.
A new chance to seek Him.
A new chance to choose obedience.
A new chance to become more like the person He created you to be.
You may not be able to change what happened last week, but you can decide what you do with this week.
So take a breath.
Give yesterday to God.
Step into today with grace.
And remember:
You don't have to be perfect to start again.
You just have to be willing to take the first step.
Because God's grace doesn't just meet you at the beginning of your story.
It meets you every time you begin again.
—Rooted and Becoming