The holidays are behind us! Yes…I will readily admit I’m one of those folks that actually enjoys returning to routine. Having a change of routine is healthy, but there is a certain comfort in routine. That’s both the blessing and the challenge of routine.
The blessing is that we usually function best in routines. We get regular sleep patterns [I went to bed at 1am New Year’s Eve!], we eat normal meals [not a 3rd piece of pie, or a turkey dinner at 3pm], we return to the productivity of work and the rhythm of earning down time. [Instead of a Netlix marathon on a Tuesday morning…]
The challenge is complacency. We get comfortable. We don’t take advantage of all the ways for us to grow and mature. This is especially true of our growth in maturity as a disciple of Jesus. We don’t explore new ways to grow because maybe they aren’t part of our routine…
January brings a restart of opportunities to grow and mature as a disciple – in the form of small groups. There usually seems to be the “same old” people that attend these groups and it becomes…well…routine. Why is that?
This January, take a look at your schedule [for an excellent post on reclaiming your time, see Pastor Ryan’s blog] and ask yourself “Where am I in a small group to help me grow and mature as a disciple of Jesus?” Coming to church, singing the songs, drinking the coffee, hearing the word of God preached, and saying a casual “Hello” to a few people that sit near us is all good – but it’s not enough. The church is made up of believers – both gathered and scattered. We get around smaller groups to know and to grow – to know each other and the word of God more, and also to grow.
There is a host of new care groups and Bible studies that we have designed to help facilitate growth. Why not take a look at them and see if you can add them to your routine. Yes, it’s a challenge – but think of the blessings of growth!
