When do we get to a point in our lives when this "Christian life thing" is easier? When do we get to the point when we can easily live this Christian life? As I age I'm convinced that there is never that day ahead of me. Moment by moment I must allow Christ to live his life through me, and live my life in him. My sin nature never gets any better, so it's a daily walk of trusting Christ to live in and through me. There are days that this frustrates me. I am one who wants to master things...to get good at something, but you can't get good at living the Christian life, you can only get good at letting Christ live through you.
That reality, at times, frustrates me. I want to "get good" at this, but that is not an option...it's a daily walk of letting Christ walk in and through me as I walk through my day. It's a daily dependence upon him...trusting him to do in me what I can't. Today I must do it again. There is no pill that I can take to cover the whole week, I must do this daily, walking with Christ in the moments of my day. What a great life.....
Rom 7:22 I truly delight in God's commands,
Rom 7:23 but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
Rom 7:24 I've tried everything and nothing helps. I'm at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn't that the real question?
Rom 7:25 The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.
2 comments:
“Are we there yet?” - My kids often ask me this very question in the car - my typical response is “No, not yet.” If it’s a lengthy trip, this dialogue will continue a hundred plus times. There are times when I fail in frustration and my responses turn to ignoring and not responding to the question, yet there are times when God’s Grace is abundant and I’m steadfast with speaking the truth in love to my kids.
Am I there yet? No, not yet. However, I’m encouraged and assured by what God’s word says: Philippians 3: 12-14 “12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
I don’t know when Christ is coming back, but I’m assured He is coming back, “like a thief in the night.” Christ may not come as I walk this earth in this body or He may - God’s will be done. Either way I’m one day closer to the prize and what an opportunity to let Christ live through me today.
Thank you Mike.
BtB
Darn it don't say that :) yeah I definitely always long for things to get easier, I figured that wasn't so though. To get better at the Christian life, I guess it is the struggle to die to self daily. I feel like you though, I like to master things. Although I guess it is good that there is no way we can master God, that he delights in besting Himself for us. I guess to it makes life that much more of an adventure, to daily overcome ourselves and to open ourselves up for God to work within, I agree what a great life! Thanks for being so real, awesome post
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