No Shortcuts with god

We chase growth everywhere else… why not chase God the same way?

📖 Scripture:

“Come near to God and He will come near to you.” — James 4:8 (NIV)

📚 Bible Study:

No Shortcuts

I was sitting in a small local coffee shop the other morning, watching a young man at the table across from me. He had a laptop open, notebooks scattered everywhere, and a stack of business books so tall it looked like a tower about to fall.

He never stopped moving.

Typing.

Highlighting.

Scrolling.

Planning.

Every few minutes, he'd lean back, crack his knuckles, take a loud breath like the whole world depended on that moment—and dive right back into the grind.

I smiled because I recognized that look.

Determination.

Pressure.

The weight of a dream on a deadline.

He stayed there for hours, never once giving up, never once questioning whether the work mattered. He knew growth took effort. Success took time. Strength required discipline.

And as I sat there watching him work tirelessly toward his goal, I felt a nudge in my spirit so clear it might as well have been spoken aloud:

“Why don’t you pursue Me like that?”

That got my attention.

Because the truth is—

I’ve had seasons where I chased God with that same fire.

Where I studied, prayed, fasted, sought Him with everything in me.

Where my Bible was open more than my phone,

And His voice was the only one I wanted to hear.

But I’ve also had seasons where I treated God like a vending machine:

A prayer here.

A verse there.

Just enough effort to say I did something…

And then frustration when nothing seemed to change.

We say things like:

“This takes time,”

“I’m learning,”

“I’m building,”

“I’m growing,”

When it comes to careers, fitness, finances, talents…

But when it comes to God?

We whisper one hurried prayer in the car

and wonder why we’re still anxious.

We read one chapter a week

and wonder why we still feel spiritually empty.

We show up to church twice a month

and wonder why we can’t hear God’s voice.

We want the reward without the relationship.

The fruit without the root.

The miracle without the discipline.

The wisdom without the seeking.

The growth without the surrender.

I watched that young man pack up his things hours later.

He looked tired—but proud.

Accomplished, even.

And God whispered something else — something gentle but piercing:

“Your spiritual life could look like that, too…if you’d be willing to put in the time.”

Not because God demands perfection.

Not because He wants us exhausted or overwhelmed.

But because anything worth having requires effort.

And there is nothing—absolutely nothing—worth more than knowing Him.

There is no shortcut to growth in God.

No fast-track.

No overnight transformation.

No hack.

No cheat code.

We know this in every other area of life:

You don’t build muscle with one workout.

You don’t learn a skill by practicing twice.

You don’t build a business by daydreaming.

You don’t repair a marriage with one apology.

Why would a relationship with the Creator of the universe be any different?

God can do the impossible in a moment—

but Him shaping you takes time.

Your heart.

Your attention.

Your obedience.

Your desire.

Not perfectly—

but consistently.

So now I ask myself…

and maybe you need to ask yourself too:

Do I treat spiritual growth like a calling—

or like a convenience?

Because the truth is simple:

If we put as much effort into knowing God

as we do into chasing dreams,

building status,

scrolling our phones,

or managing our image…

We’d all be spiritual giants by now.

But most of us are spiritually starving

in a buffet of opportunity

simply because we won’t sit at the table long enough to eat.

💭 Reflection Question:

Where have I been expecting spiritual growth without spiritual investment?

🙏 Prayer:

Lord, give me the hunger to seek You with the same dedication I give everything else in life. Break the patterns of spiritual laziness and stir a fresh desire in me to know You deeply. Help me choose consistency over convenience, discipline over distraction, and intimacy with You over everything temporary. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

🛠️ Practical Step:

Set aside 10 dedicated minutes today—Bible open, phone off, heart still.

Not rushed. Not multitasking.

Just you and God.

Do it again tomorrow.

📣 Invite a Friend:

Know someone who wants to grow spiritually but feels stuck?

Send this to them.

It might be the reminder they’ve been praying for.