A Journey of Lifelong Learning Starts with This Choice
By Rick Warren
“Commit yourself to instruction; listen carefully to words of knowledge” (Proverbs 23:12 NLT).
Your journey of lifelong learning starts with a choice. It’s a choice only you can make. It’s an incredibly important decision that’ll impact your entire life.
The Bible says, “Commit yourself to instruction; listen carefully to words of knowledge” (Proverbs 23:12 NLT).
I made this commitment to keep learning when I was 15 years old. I began saying that I would learn as much as I could. For many years I read at least a book a day. I started collecting books as a teenager, and I have more than 35,000 volumes in my library now. Books open the door to every subject imaginable.
Your education doesn’t stop when you graduate. I’ve actually heard people say, “I’m glad I’ve finished my education so now I can start my career.” Tell that one to God, and he’ll laugh. God has so much more he wants to teach you! Your education should never end.
Learning isn’t a stage of life; it is your life! God wants you to learn something new every day. So don’t stop — ever!
Start working on learning a new skill this year. God wants you to grow. You should be and can be different — better — a year from now than you are today.
It’s in your best interest to do so. Lifelong learning will make you a better leader, a better parent, a better spouse, a better friend. It’ll make you more effective in your job. It brings both success and profit.
The Bible says, “If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed, but skill will bring success” (Ecclesiastes 10:10 NIV).
If you’ve got an ax with a dull blade and you’re chopping wood, it’ll take a lot more energy to do it. If your ax is sharp (which represents skill in this verse), then it doesn’t take as much effort.
The Bible is saying to work smarter, not harder. You’re never wasting time when you’re sharpening your ax.
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Talk It Over
What’s your preferred way of learning new information or new skills — take a class, read a book, talk to a mentor, or some other method? How can that help you to be a lifelong learner?
What’s something you’ve learned more about this year that has really helped you in life?
Consider this: When you read these devotionals, read a book, or take a seminar, you’re sharpening your spiritual ax. What’s one other specific way you’re sharpening your ax?
For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!
Unshakeable! Study Kit
You Can Thrive In Every Circumstance
Do you want to thrive in every circumstance? In the Bible, Daniel and his friends rose to top positions of leadership because they were unshakeable in their faith even though they were surrounded by a corrupt culture. Today, the world’s value system increasingly drifts further from God. To thrive, no matter what, you need to dive into scripture and learn how to be unshakeable in your faith.
In the 9-part DVD study kit, Unshakable: Thriving No Matter What Hits You, Pastor Rick helps you walk through scripture and learn how to …
• Stand strong when your world is shaken
• Stay firm when your pressured to conform
• Be bold when your beliefs are belittled
• Be confident when you’re asked to do the impossible
• Stay cool when the heat is on
The Unshakable study kit is our way to thank you for your gift below to help take Daily Hope to more people – so request yours when you give. And thanks for your partnership!
This devotional © 2017 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
You can listen to Rick Warren on OnePlace.com.
