1 John 11

 Why is it so easy for a church grower to slide into a routine of expecting nothing extraordinary will happen?  What causes a church goer to lose their passion, categorizing people and life issues into ‘less than’, ‘better than’, or in layers of acceptance?  Entitlement and a calloused view of life are slippery areas of darkness and fog. May God clear the shadows and fog of our dim view of His presence. 

“Why doesn’t life work out like I want?  Why can’t I avoid pain and suffering?  I want to connect mature discipleship with embracing doubt, embracing mystery.  How can doubt and mystery be a catalyst for deeper faith? And then what role do they play in moving beyond an immature, rigid spirituality that we think we can control?

Mystery, the inability to understand,  is your great friend. It’s not your enemy.  I have a theologian friend who says this. He says, God, as I understand Him, is not very well understood. Why does it require mystery? Okay, I’ll put it into theological language and tease it out:  God is infinite. And infinity can’t be captured in a concept.” - Chuck DeGroat, Toughest People to Love

“Verses 9–10 described how those who show hate for Christians lack fellowship with Christ. Verse 11 completes this thought with more clear, direct language. Hate for others is totally incompatible with fellowship in Christ. Saved believers are capable of such a sin, but those who do so demonstrate serious spiritual sickness. 
The idea of "walking in darkness" is often associated with evil or sin. This is not the same as "stumbling," or "falling," which implies a temporary situation. There is a difference between stumbling briefly into darkness and "walking" in darkness as a matter of habit. The person who walks in darkness is in a position of grievous spiritual danger. They have no clear vision or purpose, simply because without light they cannot see. Darkness is blinding.“ - Enduring Word Commentary with David Guzik

“In Biblical terms, the removal of defects of character is called sanctification, to make us right, to make us whole, to make us holy, to make us healthy, to redeem us, to empower us to be creatures of authentic goodness from the inside, love, joy.  It is the only thing actually that can make a person have a meaningful, whole, satisfying, and good life.  And it is God's work. I can't do this myself. So Paul writes to the Church of Thessalonica, may God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through.” - Become New with John Ortberg: Episode 22 | Step 6: Are You Entirely Ready for God to Remove Your Defects of Character? | John Ortberg, Feb 11, 2025

“Character development always involves choice, and temptation provides that opportunity. For instance, let's say that being unloving is one of my defects of character. God teaches us love by putting some unlovely people around us.

It takes no character to love people who are lovely and loving to you. And so you'll need some unlovely people if you're trying to remove that defect of character. And by the way, at Become New, we are just a community.” - Become New with John Ortberg: Episode 25  | Why You’re Not Changing as Fast as You Want To | John Ortberg, Feb 14, 2025