I recently read a great book by Craig Groeschel called IT: How churches and leaders can get it and keep it. The premise is based on an observation that some leaders and some churches are prevailing, and others aren’t. And when you analyze all the factors, it is not obvious why. When you are with a leader with IT, you know it. When you attend a church that has IT, you know it. (You’ll have to read the book to find out what IT is.)

Then this week, Paul had us listen to a talk given by Craig at Catalyst. He talked about three prayers to pray when you realize that you don’t have IT but you want to get IT back.

GOD, RUIN ME!

GOD, HEAL ME!

GOD, STRETCH ME!


The day after hearing Craig’s talk, I was reading from Genesis 32 about Jacob and his prayer to God when he was getting ready to meet his estranged brother, Esau.

In verse 5, he says “you told me...”. It is obvious that he knew God had CALLED him.

In verse 10, he says “I am not worthy...”. God had taken him through a process of RUINing him.

In verse 11, he prays “Please rescue me...” He turned to the God would need to HEAL him.

In verse 11, he says “I am afraid…” He knew that God was STRETCHing him.

Then in verse 12, he reinforces he restates his TRUST in God. “But you promised…”

I have seen this process at work in my life in the past year. I have gone through a process of being RUINed by God—of realizing that in my own strength, I am not worthy-I am nothing. I am experiencing the balm of His HEALing grace, and now am realizing that God wants to STRETCH me to be used by Him in ways I never imagined. And I am daily surrendering to TRUST His promises.

So, I believe this pattern is followed in each of our lives (the first and last steps are my addition)..

CALL
RUIN
HEAL
STRETCH
TRUST

We can abort the process by refusing to submit to God’s CALL, God’s process of RUIN, HEALing, and STRETCHing. But if we surrender, the end result will be to TRUST in a God who will do “exceedingly abundantly beyond anything we can ask or think.”