… being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. — Philippians 1:6
If you were going to make a chart of your spiritual journey, what would it look like? At what times in your life have you experienced the greatest spiritual growth?
If spiritual growth were just a matter of spiritual disciplines, then the go-get-’em types would leave all the rest of us in the dust. But spiritual growth is not just a matter of setting goals and observing disciplines. We are in the hands of God.
I have four children. I’m not a perfect father by any stretch. Even so, I don’t wait for my kids to decide that they want to grow as people before I lead them into experiences that will help them grow up. Like caring for a pet, or getting along with a sibling, or dealing with an injustice. I expect them to grow, and I’m here to make sure it happens.
Years ago, my little engine of spiritual energy ran out of steam. I just drifted for a while until one day I discovered this verse. It electrified me. I found something greater than my mistakes, my sin, my apathy, my fatigue — something greater than me. An amazing thing happened. The less I worried about how spiritual I was, and the more I concentrated on what a fantastic job God is doing with me, the easier everything got to be.
Yeah, yeah, we gotta be willing, but it really isn’t about us, folks. It’s about Him. That’s why it works.
Be encouraged!
Dwight
Dwight Clough is the author of four Christian books and is an active member of Lake City Church in Madison. This devotional is also available via email and you may review the archives back to 2002. To contact Dwight or Kim, use their contact form. You may also support their ministry.