by David Brenneman
"But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good." 2 Thessalonians 3:13.
"Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin." James 4:17.
"Let’s not become discouraged in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not become weary." Galatians 6:9.
See a pattern here? Lest we also forget...it's written in the Gospels if you look at the life Jesus lead. It's right there between the lines.
"Each one must do just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." 2 Corinthians 9:7.
The direction of travel with this line of thinking is towards selflessness. Thinking less of you and more of those to whom you're serving.
The hardest part might be in learning not to inwardly grumble.
What we do in this body, since coming to Christ for salvation, matters.
It matters in more ways than we have the ability to understand.
Think about that. We come to Christ literally as an infant in our salvation, our sanctification. We have to learn all the same basics that we did physically.
We are often the most worse for wear by forgetting to take care of ourselves spiritually. It takes it's toll on our mental state.
We come as a child in regards to the beginnings of faith. We learn to trust and obey. We learn, hopefully, to release things from our lives that are not conducive to growing in our relationship with Jesus.
Get rid of the baggage that's slowing you down. Paul used the illustration of a runner aiming for the prize. To get rid of what slows him down in order to win the prize. To run in such a way that you may win.
How much baggage is strewn around you? How much of your days are filled, honestly, with waste?
Are you at all thinking about how your days matter concerning your future account you will give before Jesus?
Your coming to Him to be saved meant so much to you. Doesn't it stand to figure that living a life that honors what He did should mean as much to you?
We all too often take it too lightly.
We all too often don't heed the warnings of the deceptions in our world.
It's absolutely no joke that our enemy prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour.
Oh my Dear Reader let that sink in!
Lean into that sober truth!
We face every single kind of temptation that fits our singular personality in order to stop us from growing in Christ. We face an enemy who doesn't sleep. We face one who imminently aware of our every single flaw...and will devise a new temptation to fit each one.
Our doing good helps keep our hearts and minds in the right place.
Our living life as Jesus intended is the good we ought to be doing.
What baggage are you still insisting on carrying around like a child who cannot understand why that many toys are too many to grasp?
Many of us have seen that. When a child has too many "favorite" toys and tries with all their might to carry them from place to place.
In this case, we carry around things, ideas, thoughts, that are not helpful at all in the path of righteousness the Spirit has set before us.
It's difficult, but worth it, to set aside what isn't growing you in Christ.
We cannot fully understand why, but, there's truth to it. Much of our adult thinking came from what we learned from adults while we were but children and we trusted to be right.
There's parts of my life today that I now have a greater understanding that I didn't have a clue about even 10 years ago.
"When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known." 1 Corinthians 13:11-12.
Recognizing spiritual maturity is essential. We are to grow up into all aspects of life in Christ.
While I sincerely miss aspects of my childhood, I do not miss the pains associated with my childhood.
Look carefully at your why's. Why do you do the things that you have allowed in your life?
Are your reasons leading you to a maturity in your faith? Or are there things that need to go?
Pray about it. You ARE in a race. Run like one who is a runner.
You ARE His workmanship...live life like that's true.
All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.
No comments:
Post a Comment