Devotions for 3-9 from Ortberg’s book, The Me I Want to Be

The life of freedom and joy is available to us right now.  When our focus is on Him, everything else falls into place.
There are two versions of us. There is the you God made us to be-and there is the you that currently exists.  So right now we live in the gap. Some think if they try harder, they can close the gap between them and God .  More effort is not the way but it can only be bridged by grace. “God’s plan is for our daily life to be given, guided, guarded, and energized by the grace of God. To live in grace is to flow in the Spirit.”   The only way to become the person God made us to be is to live with the Spirit of God flowing through us, like a river of living water.  Experiencing this flow is what makes us come alive and full of vitality and joy..  When we experience gratitude, contentment, and satisfaction deep in our souls, there is a good chance it is the Spirit flowing within us.  There is also going to be some spill-over that blesses others around us. As we go about our lives, let us not quench the Spirit or get in His way but open ourselves up to His influence in our lives. It takes time for us to get re-formed but all that is needed is a sincere desire to be submitted to the Spirit’s leading. We cannot be satisfied apart from Him. He is the thirst quencher, the life-giver, the Spirit-bringer!