Am I reading the Bible enough?
Do I pray as often as I should?
Why do I feel so behind in my spiritual growth?

These types of questions likely sound familiar to many Christians. Eager to honor God and make progress in our faith journeys, we may find ourselves feeling like we aren’t doing enough or keeping up with others.

In an excerpt from his new book The Expectation Gap recently shared at CT, Steve Cuss explores these struggles.

"Many of us spend too much spiritual energy—and, frankly, guilt—trying to be something God did not ask us to be," writes Cuss. "We then spread that expectation around our faith communities and perpetuate the cycle. If we can notice the attempted solutions, and therefore the stuck cycle we are in, and get off that treadmill, we can open our souls to an encounter with God that can cause growth."

Cuss goes on to look at the ways we encounter Scripture, considering what it looks like to approach the Bible with a holistic perspective that compels us to worship. May his insights encourage us to leave comparison behind as we continue drawing near to the person of Christ.