Dear Missionary Lady,
Greetings in the name of the God who always finishes what He
starts.
"Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath
begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ"
(Philippians 1:6).
I'm glad for that truth, because there is nothing like a
prolonged time of testing to make one realize that he is a work in progress. The
imperfections rise to the surface, and the weaknesses become evident. Spiritual
victory may seem elusive, as failures and struggles proliferate. Before long,
we start to think we are terrible Christians, shockingly weaker than we ought
to be at this point in our lives. If we let our thoughts run unrestricted, they
will even tell us that other Christians in similar situations aren't struggling
like we are, and maybe we are unworthy of serving God.
Even if our thoughts don't go that far, there probably isn't
one of us who doesn't sometimes get discouraged by our weaknesses and the
difficulty of seeing growth in certain areas. No Christian is perfect. All of
us have room for improvement. Some seasons of life or certain types of
temptations might call particular attention to the areas of ongoing maturity.
This is why the verse above is so encouraging. It tells us
that God will keep doing what He started in us. God doesn't give up. He doesn't
abandon us when we fail to achieve perfection, or even when we take
disappointing steps backward. No, He keeps on working. His work is aided by our
humble submission, but the work is His.
Paul was confident in this truth as it pertained to the
Philippian Christians. Was that because Paul had seen God bring him to the point
of completion and of no longer struggling? No, not because God had completed
that work in Paul, but because God was in the process of doing it in Paul. As
admirable and respected and godly as Paul was, he was also a work in progress.
Later in the same letter, he confesses,
"Not as though I had already attained, either were
already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which
also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have
apprehended: but this one thing I do. forgetting those things which are behind,
and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark
for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians
3:12-14).
With fallen bodies on a fallen earth, with the attacks of
the world and the devil, and with the lingering effects of a sinful nature, all
of us will struggle at times, probably especially in particular areas. While we
don't like to be confronted with our imperfections, and they may grieve us or
discourage us, we can be encouraged in remembering that God's work is not yet
completed. He will keep working in us as we keep pressing forward, desiring to
please Him and follow Him.
So if you struggle from time to time, take courage. Trust in
the ongoing work of God. Keep serving even in your flawed state. If God used
only perfect people, He wouldn't find anyone to use. So He uses people who are
still in the process of sanctification, always working to bring them further
along the path until the day that we stand perfect and complete before Him.
May God bless you this week as you continue serving, and may
He provide you with encouraging moments of realizing His continued work in you.
Love in Christ,
Peggy Holt
member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA
www.pressingontohigherground.blogspot.com
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