Do we not believe in the most amazing God?!
How fantastic to have a God, sovereign over the universe, galaxies, all of creation, even the smallest details of our lives, and He loves us UNCONDITIONALLY!!!
Think about that and what it really means. Now, some may think it means we can do whatever we like and He will love us no matter what we do, including sin. Truth is, yes, He will love us no matter what we do, however, He will be compelled as a Father, to discipline us for the sin and reckless, thoughtless, inconsiderate behaviour we do. He will still love us though.
As for our spiritual growth, He is ultimately responsible. We are accountable, He is responsible, as a friend so kindly reminded me recently. We must do what we know to do and the Lord is responsible for transforming our nature into His as we submit to Him. Submitting can only come by repentance which is a turning away from sin (our own way) and being willing for God’s way.
The Holy Spirit would then take the submission of our spirit and begin His work, some of which is unseen and unknown to us as it takes place in the spiritual realm. A depth (or height) far, far beyond mental (and even emotional) comprehension.
God has made the promises to us that He will complete the work He has begun and continue this until the day of Jesus Christ. We, in and of ourselves, even a will completely bent to God, can not transform ourselves. We can not even truly comprehend what it is our nature is to be transformed into. It is just not possible for us to do this.
For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6
Here is where we learn to REST. We must strive with our ‘flesh/self’ to restrain it from being active, but we can only do that as much as we are able. Our ability will be imperfect. Yet, in this we learn to overcome by submitting our ‘selves/flesh’ to Christ who loves us implicitly and unconditionally, thoroughly and utterly, and we must trust that He is doing in us what He has promised to do for our spiritual growth.
It is us as lowly people that view everything as evenly and justly reciprocal. Is this not why we think an eye for an eye is legitimate? Or a tooth for a tooth? Or why we shouldn’t have to forgive someone a terrible injustice against us? But God is far greater than this. He is about LIFE, not the Knowledge of Good and Evil. He is also teaching us to come up higher to this as well.
We can trust Him. It is in HIS BEST INTEREST to perfect us. Why? Because He is GLORIFIED IN US!
“My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.” John 15:8
The struggle we have with accepting this truth, I think is primarily when the enemy comes to accuse us of not doing all we ‘should’ be doing for our spiritual growth. Can we really expect to behave sinless while yet imperfect? Obviously not blatant and intended sin, but we still have a fallen nature. We must become aware of the enemies tactics to undermine our faithfulness to Christ and condemning our efforts to ‘prove’ our love to God.
How do you strive to enter His rest? What have you found to be helpful in your own transformational process? Have you become aware of the enemy that seeks to condemn you and your efforts to love God and be faithful to Him? Or are you still struggling with condemnation?
Have you found this post to be helpful at all? Please leave your comments.
