Blog | Greater Formation

The Point and Power of Pausing

anxiety gratitude kingdom of god peace pressure reactions regret wisdom worship Oct 18, 2025

When Life Turns Up the Pressure

What do you do when you feel the pressure closing in?

Do you double down—determined to push harder until things finally give way? Or do you pull back—hoping that if you wait it out, the heat will die down on its own? In other words, when stress hits, do you tend to fight or take flight?

We all have natural reactions to pressure. The key is knowing what yours is—and learning when it helps and when it hurts. Sometimes our first response fits the moment. But other times, it’s just instinct taking over, not wisdom leading the way.

The truth is, when pressure and quick reactions mix, things often go poorly.

If you’re a fighter, remember that moving too fast can land you in trouble. Proverbs 19:2 says, “Desire without knowledge is not good—how much more will hasty feet miss the way!” In other words, rushing ahead can leave you with regrets—a commitment you can’t keep, a word you can’t take back, or a problem that just got bigger.
If you’re a f...

Continue Reading...

Redeemed for More: God’s Call on Your Day

alignment calling decay gratitude independence intimacy purpose reconciliation redemption restoration sin Sep 27, 2025

Some mornings feel like they start on their own. Life rushes forward, and we scramble to jump on the moving escalator without tripping. But before we get swept along, it’s worth pausing to remember: the world we live in is broken. Since the very first sin, everything has borne its marks—alienation, sickness, death. The decay is everywhere.

Yet God, in His mercy, stepped in. Jesus gave His life as a ransom (Mark 10:45), redeeming us from spiritual slavery and rescuing us from that downward path. So don’t just wake up and sprint into the day. Stop. Receive your redemption with gratitude. Lift your eyes to your eternal hope in Christ, and give thanks.

Redemption, however, is only the beginning. You have also been reconciled. The barrier of sin that once separated you from God has been torn down. No longer do you walk alone—God is with you, and in you. Spiritually united with Him, like a covenant marriage, you’ve died to the exhausting burden of independent living. Your new life is li...

Continue Reading...

How Jesus Lived and Invites Us To Live

adventure cooperation discernment god's kingdom gratitude holy spirit plans prayer purpose watchfulness Sep 06, 2025

What Are You Missing Right Now?

Have you paused lately to notice what’s happening around you?

It’s easy to get so wrapped up in our own lives—the next task, the next goal, the next “important” thing—that we overlook the bigger picture. We become so focused on our own activities that we forget: life is bigger than us.

There’s a whole world, even a whole universe, moving around you right now. And more importantly, God is already at work in that world.

The Kingdom Doesn’t Start With You

Here’s a vital truth: the Kingdom of God doesn't begin with you. It doesn’t depend on your plans, your efforts, or your creativity. The Kingdom is the result of God’s will in action, a manifestation of His purposes unfolding all around us.

It’s been said that God most appreciates what He initiates. That means our role is less about trying to force something to happen, and more about learning to recognize and respond to what God is already doing.

Shift From Striving to Respondin

...

Continue Reading...

Beyond Ease: How Struggles Shape Our True Purpose

community expectations gratitude hardship hope humility purpose relationships Aug 23, 2025

The Lies We Believe: Why Life Isn't Meant to Be Easy

Most of us grow up believing that happiness, financial stability, good health, and an easy life are the things we should naturally expect. As Americans, these beliefs are deeply ingrained in us—they shape the culture we live in, the media we consume, and even the air we breathe. We may try to resist or question these ideas, but if we’re honest, we often buy into them.

But here’s the truth: These beliefs come with serious flaws.

The First Problem: These Expectations Are Simply Not True

The idea that life should be a smooth ride of comfort and success isn’t just unrealistic; it’s misleading. Everyone faces hardship. The truth is, unless Jesus returns first, we will all experience difficulties—some of them deeply painful.

If we hold on to the expectation that life is supposed to be easy, we’re setting ourselves up for disappointment. When trouble inevitably comes, we might feel confused, overwhelmed, or even hopeless.

But there’s ...

Continue Reading...

Are You Anxious?

anxiety communion feelings future gratitude honest paths perception personality presence provisions purposes receive responsibility still thanksgiving worry Mar 31, 2023

We have been created by God. He fashioned our personhood and our personalities. He knows what makes us tick. He not only knows how we think, He knows what we think before we do. His presence is always around us and, if we know Him, we experience the Holy Spirit’s presence within us. (Psalm 139)

God knows our future, and He has prepared paths, encounters, provisions and purposes for us. (Ephesians 2:10) There is no need to worry – it adds nothing but distress to your life. (Matthew 6:25-34) There is no value is anxiety; it wars against our faith and our sense of trust in God. Unfortunately, the enemy somehow convinces many people that worry and anxiety are forms of taking responsibility – that they demonstrate trustworthiness by being worried and obsessively concerned about what might go wrong in the future.

Let’s take a moment and let God’s salvation from faithless living sink deeply into our souls, affecting our feelings and our perception of the future. We don’t need to hype ou...

Continue Reading...

Close

50% Complete

Two Step

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.