And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. ~Paul, Philippians 1:6
Isn't it funny how you can know a verse for so long and yet still see something new in it? Last week, I wrote about the comfort of knowing that God's not done yet. This week, I want to issue a challenge from the same verse.
Have you ever had moments in your life, where you think things are going pretty good? Your bills are paid; your relationships all seem to be going well. It seems like all is right with the world. Or at least right enough. You're comfortable. There's nothing pressing on you to move forward, and no great challenge to drive you towards God.
Times like this are harder for us than in moments of crisis when you know that God is your only hope. In difficulty, it's easy to see who our source is, whose help we need. But in the "safe" times, we are tempted to forget about God. We become casual about him and don't really see our deep need for him. So for times like this, Philippians 1:6 is a challenge.
Remember, "GOD'S NOT DONE WITH YOU YET!" I need to hear this as much in the good times - if not more - as I do in the hard times. Remember the goal of our salvation is that we be like Christ! And God is committed to making it happen.
So when things in your life are easy and seem to be going good, don't abandon your only hope. Don't let the gentle rocking of comfort lull you to sleep. SEEK GOD! Continue to pray! Continue to read the Word! Continue to go to church. Don't assume you have arrived at where you are supposed to be with God. Notice the timing of God's completed work in you: "AT THE DAY OF CHRIST JESUS."
We will not be where God wants us to be until Christ returns. So let him keep working in you and keep pressing on towards becoming more like Christ. Don't settle for "good" when God's desire for you is "great!"
How do you press on in the easy times to maintain your relationship with God? How do you press on towards Christ-likeness even when you think you're doing pretty good?
Posts
What a great word of encouragement to persevere that I need to hear right now, thank you Charles. One thing I do is to preach the gospel to myself, even when I think I am "doing alright". Because I know that I desperate for God's grace no matter how "good" things seem to be going in my life.
ReplyDeleteI agree. We need to always preach the gospel to ourselves - especially when things are going well. When things are tough, it is easy to turn to God as our only hope. But when things go well, it is easy to drift into a spiritual slumber that is destructive. I'm glad you were encouraged by this post, and I hope that you will keep on keeping on!
ReplyDelete