Faithfulness to Overcome

            How often do we all sigh over our own shortcomings?  Would that God should immediately grant us perfection!  But no, no matter how much we may wish it, there is no instant perfection.  Okay, so maybe we aren’t asking for quite that much, but would He just hurry things along a bit faster?! 

I find myself discouraged at how slow my progress is.  It seems like day after day, week after week, month after month, a character of godly excellence remains millions of miles down the road, and how hard that road is!  Theoretically, it shouldn’t be that difficult to keep ourselves in check, but a little annoyance rubs the wrong way and out pops an impatient, unkind response.

                Though I myself am still struggling along this path, I would like to offer a challenge and some encouragement, as much to myself as to others. 

                Are we truly stepping aside and relying fully on God’s faithfulness, power, and grace to change our lives?  Yet that being said, does not the Bible say to persevere and run a good race?  Does not it say to be kind, to be loving, to be patient?  Does not it say to be meek, to be pure, to be faithful? 

                Colossians 4:2 says, “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”  Watch out for those rubs the wrong way, those little annoyances, and pray continually that God would give you the strength to overcome them!  Jesus says in Matthew 7:7-8, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”  That is a promise!  Let us rely on God’s perfect timing to mold our character into a true gem that will always glorify Him!  Let us strive with all our might to become entirely pleasing to Him!  Let us remain faithful to Him by doing so.  Minute annoyances are petty; what is large is our reaction.  If we strive now, we will be rewarded immensely in the future.  God will give us the strength to overcome!  That is His promise! 

                “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through.  May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, emphasis added)  What a promise that is!  We are not on our own; God is there for us!  Beside us, to strengthen and encourage us!  He is faithful, and in His own perfect timing, will mold us to become that which is truly pleasing to Him.  Let us strive to be worthy of Him! 

 By Olivia C.


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Featured in the August 2006 issue of  With all of  Thy Heart. (c)  2006  With all of Thy Heart E-zine