Rick Warren's Daily DevotionalSample

God Pushes You to Deeper Faith In order to build your faith, God will give you a dream; then he'll urge you to make a decision; but then he'll allow a delay, because in the delay he matures you and prepares you for what is to come. The truth is you'll have difficulties as you're pursuing your God-given dream. This isn't because he doesn't care about you. It's one of the ways he pushes you toward the deep end of faith. As God delays, you'll face two types of difficulties: Circumstances and Critics. This is a natural part of life. God designed it this way because he knows we grow stronger when facing adversity. When Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt and toward the Promised Land, he had one problem after another. First, there was no water. Then there was no food. Then there were a bunch of complainers. Then there were poisonous snakes. Moses was doing what God wanted, yet he had problems. God does this because he is building our faith and character. When we finally reach our limit and exhausted all options, it is then that God begins a mighty work through us: "I know, even though you are temporarily harassed by all kinds of trials and temptations. This is no accident - it happens to prove your faith, which is infinitely more valuable, than gold ." (1 Peter 1:6-7 PH)