Day 30 - Amos

If you do anything long enough, it's easy to get complacent.  It's just the nature of the beast.  You start to feel like it's routine, even if it's amazing.  You can be doing the coolest thing in the world or have the most exciting job and you can be the best at it, but it's still easy to become complacent.  In fact, the more satisfied you are with what you've accomplished, the easier it is to become complacent.  It's really hard to not get complacent as a Christian if you've been a believer for decades.  Though it ought not to, it can began to feel like old hat.  This happened in Israel, and God wasn't too happy about it:

Woe to you who are complacent in Zion, and do you who feel secure on Mount Samaria."  (Amos 6:1)

If you ever get to the point when you're satisfied with where you're at spiritually, complacency is starting to set in.  Now, don't misunderstand this.  This isn't about not being satisfied for all Christ has done in your life and being content.  No, I think here the Bible is talking about that complacency that sort of says "I've arrived" as a person of faith.  That's dangerous because when you become complacent like that, you kind of get the feeling like you don't really need to improve.  Now, I don't know about you, but I haven't arrived.  In fact, I've got lots of improving to do.  Lots.  I want to get better every day.  And by better, I mean more obedient, more faithful, more trusting, kinder and gentler.  The reason Israel struggled with this is revealed a few verses down:

"I abhor the pride of Jacob and detest his fortresses; I will deliver up the city and everything in it." (Amos 6:8)

God has a way He works with pride -- not very well.  He figures out a way to, uh, humble us.  It doesn't have to be this week.  We don't have to get prideful, which leads to complacency.  How do we combat it?  Humility.  Stay in God's Word to remind us that we are part of a bigger story.  Be thankful for all that God has blessed us with.  Regularly confess our shortcomings.  Remember that all we have that is good is because of God.  And keep keeping on.  Keep yearning to be better and relying on Him rather than your own strength, no matter how long you've been at this Christian thing.