It's all too easy to get discouraged with your own lack of progress in life, isn't it? I don't know anyone who isn't at some time or other plagued with discouragement about their lack of progress in their growth in Christ. Maybe you feel guilty and discouraged about days going by without you opening your Bible. Maybe you are frustrated with your apathetic prayer life. Maybe you can't remember the last time you witnessed to someone about Jesus Christ, or maybe you're tormented because you can't remember ever doing so.
Perhaps you're discouraged about how hard it is for you to be the wife or the mom you think that God wants you to be. Maybe you were sailing along quite nicely and feeling like you were doing alright, and then once again you found yourself nitpicking at your husband or losing your cool with your kids.
It could be any myriad of areas of life where you feel stuck, where you feel you're not progressing, or maybe you even feel like you're regressing.
The good news is, God isn't like a sports fan sitting in the stands observing your life and yelling at you to do better and go faster. God isn't even like the coach telling you how to improve your performance. God isn't out there at all. God is in there, in you! He sent His Holy Spirit to indwell your innermost being and personality, to help you become the best you, the you He designed and purposed you to be when He created you. God is fully committed, fully invested in you, in seeing His work in you completed. So, what's your part? Surrendering, yielding, letting Him have His way in you. God wants to bring His good work in you to full completion and knows exactly how to do it and even when to work on each area. Resisting Him, stubbornly refusing to yield to His will and His ways, will only create more frustration in your life. Cooperating with Him will result in peace and progress.
Let's face it, we're never going to be a finished project until we see Jesus face to face. But, the more you and I readily yield to the work of the Holy Spirit within, the more we can see Jesus shining through our thoughts, words and deeds.
still following,
For most of my life, I have wanted to be in control. I feel this is due to being the adult child of an alcoholic. God has been doing a great work in my heart, soul & mind for the past 3 years. He has been showing me that I don't need to be that way. Submitting to Him & His will for my life has allowed me to gain such peace. I now understand that He is the author of my life. I look forward to seeing His plan for me revealed every single day!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad that God doesn't leave us in our brokenness. He patiently works, layer upon layer, to bring us into wholeness.
DeleteThank you for the needed reminder today. Blessings!
ReplyDeleteJoanne, I needed this reminder for myself, too!
DeleteNeeded this word of encouragement today, for some areas of my life where I feel a bit stuck. Thanks for the reminder to trust and obey rather than try to do it on my own!
ReplyDeleteTrust and obey, there's a key to victory in those two words isn't there?!
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