My wife and I have learned a valuable lesson: dont blink or The Flash will be long gone. The Flash is the nickname weve given our four-year-old daughter Paige. To say she is quick on her feet would be an understatement. If you turn your back for a second, Paige is bound to be three-quarters of the way up the stairs, jumping from couch to couch, waving to you on top of the table or dangling from the chandelier (okay, that last one is a bit of stretch, but she is very determined).

Its funny to think how something which comes so naturally now was so foreign to her just a short time ago. Yet, she wouldnt be the speed racer she is now unless she took those first wobbly steps. Back then she needed her mommys fingers for a sense of security or the edge of the table for balance. There were times when Paiges eyes would get so big and you could tell she was thinking Just one stepjust one. As shed stare down at her knocking knees, she had to have faith to move regardless of the outcome. One foot in front of the other.

Over the past few weeks, weve learned that our walk with God assumes movement through disciplines and requires the same type of faith my daughter had when she started to walk. Whether it is finding new ways to deal with old frustrations, responding to lifes difficulties or being transformed into Christs character, it all comes down to arranging our lives for growth to occur. What youve probably realized after  two weeks of putting disciplines into place is how change is always met with resistance.

It is very easy to come up with excuse after excuse as to why growth cant happen or explain why we refuse to take steps of faith. Anytime we face a difficult task, we feel a pull to go back to the way things were and remain the same. It might be selfishness, not wanting to appear foolish, fear of failure, or doubt; but whatever the excuse may be it comes down to perception. Inadequacy is not a concern of God’s, but this mindset of inadequacy plagues us from taking steps of faith.

We have been invited to walk–not accomplish. The things we accomplish are simply expressions or by-products of following the footsteps of Christ as we walk with Him. Stop focusing on all the places where living out your One Word still feels awkward and unnatural. This only leads you to focus your attention on the negative rather than celebrating those small baby steps of growth. Continue to take those next right steps of faith. It turns out those baby steps may be the most giant ones of all–paving the way for God to fulfill the purposes Hes established for you. As the life of Christ makes a difference in our hearts and souls, we live this out and God uses us to bring His change to the world around us.

After spending two weeks setting up disciplines to live out your One Word, where have you witnessed the most growth? Where have you met the most resistance?
As it relates to your One Word, what do you believe is the next step you need to take? What actions or changes do you need to put into place to make this change a reality?
Read Philippians 1:6 and Romans 5:1-5. How do these passages give you hope in regards to the resistance you might be feeling with disciplines being formed into your character?

Are you looking for a way to keep your word in front of you all year long? Register for a My One Word account! One of the key features of a MOW account is an online Word Journal that allows you to capture your thoughts to reflective questions like you see above. You can go back at any time to read your completed journals to see how God has been moving in your life through your word in 2010.  If you already have an account, the questions from this blog have been posted to your Word Journal — log in to your account to start your Word Journal today!