Next Level Thinking DevotionalSample

Move Up to the Next Level

In John 5, Jesus met a man who was sick for 38 years. There was a pool of water that people would go to when they needed a miracle. Jesus approached the sick man lying by the pool and asked him, “Do you want to be well?” The man replied that there was no one to help him reach the water. 

In other words, the sick man made an excuse for why he couldn’t be well. Jesus healed the man in spite of his excuse, but there is an important lesson in this passage.

We must expand our vision, move out of self-pity, and couple our faith with action. We need to move up to the next level. 

One of the most important things we can do as we move to new levels is to be intentional about who we surround ourselves with. Like the sick man in John 5, are you surrounding yourself with others who are sick? 

Find people who are healthy, whole, and spiritually strong that will challenge you to rise to your potential. 

Maybe you feel like you can’t rise to a new level. Your family has always dealt with certain struggles; you’ve always lived in sub-par environments.

Don’t let discouraging voices tell you who you can and can’t be. 

You can be the difference maker. You can be the one to create a new normal for yourself and those around you.

Where you come from is not who you are. You are who God says you are. 

Everything that God creates is a masterpiece. You are made for more than struggle, addiction, or anxiety; you are made for greatness, freedom, and peace. 

We all face unexpected challenges, things we don’t understand. In those moments, we have to make a decision that we are going to keep moving forward. In the Bible, everyone who fulfilled the plans that God had for them faced major challenges—death, sickness, enemy opposition—yet they pressed on. 

Don’t give up! Know that you are equipped by God’s Spirit to remain strong through every challenge, to take new ground. Keep pressing on toward the new levels that God is calling you to.