...be transformed by the renewing of your mind... Romans 12:2 Are you wrestling with a personal problem, thinking, 'If I can just overcome this I'll be all right?' Well, there's good news and bad news. The good news is that by God's grace you can overcome it. The bad news is that when you've overcome this particular problem, another one is waiting to take its place. You're always going to be working on something. Spiritual growth is a work in progress. And it doesn't come through human effort, self-condemnation, or the white-knuckling works of the flesh. It comes as a result of spending time in prayer and having your mind renewed daily by His Word. As you agree with God, believing what He says is true, change automatically happens. You start to think differently, talk differently, and act differently. Be patient with yourself; it's a process that develops in stages. Would you think there was something wrong with your child because they couldn't walk perfectly on the first few tries? No, you're delighted each time they take a step. When they fall you pick them up. When they mess up, you clean them up and encourage them to try again. You never stop working with them! And God does the same with us. He's not angry because you haven't 'arrived', He's pleased that you're pressing on, endeavouring to stay on the path. It's God's job to '...cause [you to] be governed by the Holy Spirit...' (2 Corinthians 3:8 AMP). If you could do it by yourself you wouldn't need Him. So instead of driving yourself harder and harder, start leaning on God more and more and you'll '...go from strength to strength...' (Psalm 84:7 NIV). Reprinted from UCB