Many years ago, the elders of a congregation would take the time to sit down with each member and asked them to evaluate their personal spiritual condition. Every time the elders would ask a certain old farmer how his spiritual maturity level was, he would always come back with the same answer: “I’m not making much progress, but I’m well established.”

One day in early spring, the farmer was baling some hay and his tractor sank in the mud. He struggled to no avail to free the tractor. As he sat on top of the hay bales viewing his situation, a neighbor who actually was one of the elders happened by. He said, “Brother Smith, I see that you’re not making much progress, but you’re certainly well established.”

This cute anecdote does prove a serious point. God wants us established in the faith, but also abounding in our energy for the cause of Christ. Paul prayed for the Thessalonians that they “should abound more and more” (1 Thess. 4:1). We should all pray for ourselves and others to do the same.