I like a challenge. I like to compete. If I'm at one level now, I want to go to the next level, whatever that may be.

This presented a problem when I was in high school. You could compete in one of three areas: the academic field, the sports field, or the social field. As it turns out, academic competition was usually about how many facts you could memorize. Sports was about how big and fast you were. And the social scene was dominated by an elite few.

So there I was - I didn't like memorizing facts, and I was small and slow and socially awkward to boot. Yeah, my school years were a bummer. If I couldn't win, I didn't want to compete. So I found friends like me and we were mildly rebellious.

But all the time, I had a super competitive streak in me that was not being tapped. I was stuck and felt like I hadn't even started yet.

Is the level you're at enough for you? Are you comfortable?

If you're comfortable at this level, then there's a good chance Jesus wants to take you to a new level. Jesus is always taking his disciples to new levels. 

Look at how he did it with Peter:

The conclusion seems obvious: He is going to allow us to go through new tests. If he did it with Peter, he'll do it with us.

And doesn't that square with your experience? Life always seems to be throwing tests at us. I don't know about you, but usually I miss the fact that God is using those circumstances to help me go to another level. Instead of saying yes to God, I often completely miss what he's doing and complain.

If I could just go back and see those tests for what they were - God calling me up to a new place.

What difficulties are you facing in life? Consider the notion that God may actually be using them as a test, not to frustrate you, but to call out greatness in you.

How do you go to a new level? Just say yes. Why should no be your default answer? Is your comfort really that valuable to you? YES is a good response to the almighty.