The best athletes in the world have a coach. They trust him or her to take them further in their development than they could achieve on their own. As much as athletes cringe at postgame film sessions, they know the benefit of being critiqued and corrected. I think it is one of the reasons that athletes understand spiritual growth better than the average person.

In our culture of self-centeredness, we gravitate toward the inspirational Bible quotes - the love, the affirmation, the hope. God has much more in store for us. He is committed to transforming our lives until we look more like Christ. The Bible calls it sanctification. It brings Him glory. It moves us toward maturity.

In Christ you stand forgiven and acceptable, but still in need of transformation from the inside out. You can't approach the Scriptures seriously without an expectation that by His grace He plans to change your life. You can expect the Scriptures to provide:

• Teaching — what God wants
• Reproof — what should stop
• Correction — what should start
• Training — what to practice

If you approach God with an open and moldable spirit, His Spirit will use the Scriptures to shape and transform your life, even in areas that you have struggled with over the years. Significant growth is slow, but it develops as we embrace His grace and respond to His words.

Most of us avoid correction because it feels like rejection. If you have placed your faith in Christ, God is no longer angry with you. God’s correction is evidence that He has claimed you as His own. He brought you into relationship to demonstrate His grace all the days of your life.

Stay in the Scriptures — it will profit you greatly.