You're Doing Better Than You Think You Are | Steven Furtick | Sermon Notes — Hello Pastor

Sermon Notes

You're Doing Better Than You Think You Are

Elevation Church • Jun 12, 2026 • 17 min

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Take this message with you through a journey of Scripture, reflection, and prayer.

Summary

We often assess our spiritual growth through comparison and external metrics, leaving us feeling discouraged when progress feels slow or messy. True spiritual growth is subjective and relative to God's purpose for your life, requiring us to embrace seasons where learning a new posture of grace initially feels like step backward. When we stop comparing ourselves to others and trust God's process, we discover that His grace has already brought us much further than we realize.

Themes

Perspective and GrowthGrace vs. Self-RelianceThe Danger of ComparisonTrusting God's TimingIdentity in Christ

Key Points

1.
Spiritual progress ('better') is subjective and relative to God's purpose, not external visibility or human standards.
2.
Envy is misleading because we often compare our hidden struggles against other people's curated highlights.
3.
Sometimes moving forward in faith requires going backward to unlearn old habits and religious self-reliance.
4.
Learning to walk in God's grace is like changing a tennis grip; it may temporarily feel uncomfortable or awkward before producing lasting strength.
5.
When God teaches us a new way to live—such as forgiving, trusting, or resting—the initial transition can feel harder than our old coping mechanisms.
6.
Knowledge and memory do not define spiritual maturity; righteousness comes through dependency on Christ rather than religious performance.
7.
The 'Land of Ur' represents the endless trap of comparison, where we judge ourselves against anyone who seems richer, stronger, or happier.
8.
Painful or uncomfortable moments often serve as the foundation for God's deepest spiritual transformation in our lives.

Sermon Moments

“If you live long enough, you will find out that some of the people you spent so much of your time envying were secretly miserable.”

“The writer of Hebrews goes all the way back to get the people to move forward in their faith.”

“Sometimes in order to get to better, you have to go through bad.”

“When God shows you a new grip called grace, for a little while in your life it's harder because you're used to controlling and manipulating things.”

“They are not better Christians; they just have a better memory.”

“What if better is not always higher? What if better sometimes is deeper?”

“Abraham had the right word, but the wrong womb because he got tired of waiting.”

“Anything that God does in our life, all we have to do is go on our phones and find somebody who is '-er' than us—richer, stronger, happier.”

This Week

Identify one area of your life where you feel like you are regressing, and ask God to show you what He is teaching you through the transition.

Reflect on how far God has brought you from where you started rather than measuring the distance to where you think you should be.

Take a fast from social media comparison this week to stop evaluating your worth against other people's curated highlights.

Practice releasing control in a situation where you normally rely on manipulation, adopting the 'grip' of God's grace instead.

When tempted to rush a promise or outcome like Abraham did, write down the promise and commit to waiting patiently for God's timing.

Replace thoughts of spiritual inadequacy with the truth that Christ in you is the only standard that truly matters.

Praise God deliberately for what He is doing through you in a season that feels quiet, hidden, or deep.

Remember This

Spiritual progress is measured by depth of foundation in God's grace, not by external comparison or emotional feelings of success.

A Challenge for You

Stop measuring your growth by world standards, recognize how much God has already done in your life, and rejoice today because His grace is already working in you.

These are personal sermon notes shared to help you remember the message — not a replacement for Scripture, your church, or your pastors.