Rick Warren's Daily DevotionalSample

Molded into Godly Character Your character is essentially the sum of your habits; it is how you habitually act. God uses his Word, people, and circumstances to mold us. All three are indispensable for character development. God's Word provides the truth we need to grow; God's people provide the support we need to grow; and circumstances provide the environment to practice Christ likeness. If you study and apply God's Word, connect regularly with other believers, and learn to trust God in difficult circumstances, I guarantee you will become more like Jesus. Many people assume all that is needed for spiritual growth is Bible study and prayer. But some issues in life will never be changed by Bible study or prayer alone. God uses people. He usually prefers to work through people rather than perform miracles, so we will depend on each other for fellowship. He wants us to grow together. In many religions, the people considered to be the most spiritually mature are those who isolate themselves from others in mountaintop monasteries, uninfected by contact with other people. But this is a gross misunderstanding. Spiritual maturity is not a solitary, individual pursuit! You cannot grow to Christ likeness in isolation. You must be around other people and interact with them. You need to be a part of a church and community. Why? Because true spiritual maturity is learning to love like Jesus, and you can't practice being like Jesus without being in relationship with other people.