Tuesday, February 2, 2021 Beware the Backward Glance LISTEN   “No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.” —Hebrews 12:11 Alan Redpath wrote, “The conversion of a soul is the miracle of a moment, the manufacture of a saint is the task of a lifetime.” That process is called sanctification.  Salvation is instantaneous, but sanctification, becoming more like Christ, takes a lot of time.  In fact, it takes a lifetime. The hardships of our lives are like God’s gym.  We break down the muscle to build it up. James said,  “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow” (1:2–3 NLT). I don’t like to exercise, but I put up with it because it produces something that’s important.  It’s the same with hardships and trials.  We don’t necessarily like them. In fact, the Bible says,  “No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way” (Hebrews 12:11 NLT). Often, however, we complain.  That’s what the Israelites did in the wilderness.  It had been one month since God delivered them from Egypt, which was something they’d been praying about for a long time. But they said,  “If only the Lord had killed us back in Egypt. . . . There we sat around pots filled with meat and ate all the bread we wanted. But now you have brought us into this wilderness to starve us all to death” (Exodus 16:3 NLT). The Devil is cunning.  He will bring back certain memories from our past before we were Christians, but they’re never the miserable memories. However, Jesus said,  “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62 NLT). The first step to going back is looking back. Share this today:     Turn Your Season Around Receive a copy for your gift of support today » For anyone ready to move their life forward, from tragedy, personal failure, unfair circumstances, or just a sense of being stuck, baseball legend and bestselling author Darryl Strawberry offers transformational practices and the tangible hope that you can enjoy a future filled with power, purpose, and freedom. Donate now and get your copy.  Copyright © 2021 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved. Harvest Ministries exists with your support to Know God and Make Him Known. If you would like, you can update your preferences. This email may be considered an advertising or promotional email. Harvest Ministries with Greg Laurie P.O. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514-4000 Phone: 1-800-821-3300