You Can Be Thankful for Today and Still Believe God Has More Growth Ahead
As Christians, we should be thankful for where God has brought us. Every answered prayer, every lesson learned, every victory won, and every difficult season He carried us through deserves our gratitude. But being thankful for today does not mean we stop believing God for growth tomorrow.
The Apostle Paul understood this. He learned how to be content whether he had little or much, whether life was comfortable or difficult. Yet contentment never caused him to stop pursuing Christ or fulfilling God’s purpose for his life.
He said in Philippians 4:12 (NLT), “I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.” Paul was not chasing happiness based on circumstances. His confidence was rooted in Jesus Christ. At the same time, he understood that there was always more to learn, more fruit to bear, and more spiritual maturity to pursue.
Some People Are Waiting for Life to Begin
It is easy to fall into the trap of believing that life will finally begin when something changes. For some, it is marriage. For others, it is retirement, a better job, improved finances, healed relationships, or simply a season with fewer problems.
The issue with that mindset is that it causes us to overlook what God is doing right now. We can become so focused on the next chapter that we fail to embrace the one we are living in.
God does not place our purpose on hold until circumstances become easier. He teaches us in the waiting. He develops our character in the waiting. He strengthens our faith in the waiting. Some of the most important work God does in our lives happens while we are praying for something else to change.
When Something Feels Missing
There are seasons when we cannot quite put our finger on what feels off. Life may be relatively stable. We may be blessed in ways we once prayed for. Yet something inside us keeps stirring.
Not every uncomfortable feeling comes from a lack of blessing. Sometimes it comes from a lack of growth. The Holy Spirit has a way of making us aware that He is calling us deeper. Perhaps there is a new level of trust He is developing. Maybe there is an area of obedience He has been addressing. Perhaps there is a mindset that still needs to be renewed. What we often call dissatisfaction may actually be God’s invitation to continue growing.
God Created Us to Keep Growing
In Colossians 1:9-10 (NLT), Paul said, “So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.” When we gave our lives to Jesus Christ, it was not the end of our journey but the beginning. God continues to work in us, teaching us, refining us, and helping us mature in our faith. Paul understood this and prayed that believers would live lives that pleased the Lord, produced spiritual fruit, and continued growing in their knowledge of our Heavenly Father.
Later, Paul described his own walk with Christ. Although he had served God faithfully for many years, he refused to act as though he had arrived. Instead, he continued pressing forward toward the calling God had placed before him. He said in Philippians 3:12-14 (NLT), “12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”
That should encourage all of us. None of us have arrived. There is always another lesson to learn, another area to surrender, and another opportunity to become more like Jesus.
Ask the Right Question
When we feel unsettled, our first question is often, “Why am I not happy?” Better questions might be, “Lord, what are You teaching me in this season?”
“Where are You inviting me to grow?”
“What part of my life are You transforming?”
Those questions shift our focus away from chasing feelings and toward following Christ.
We do not have to be frustrated with where we are, but neither should we become comfortable staying there. The Christian life is a continual invitation to know Jesus Christ more deeply, trust Him more fully, and become more like Him. Be thankful for where God has brought you, but never settle for staying the same. ■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“Never Settle For Staying The Same”, written by Kim Times for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2026. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.
