Everything that God brings into our life is directed to one purpose: that we might be conformed to the image of Christ.
~Erwin W. Lutzer (1941- )
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And He who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom He predestined He also called, and those whom He called He also justified, and those whom He justified He also glorified.
~ paul, The Least of The Apostles, in Romans 8
Thump. And there it is, plain as day. We are lying on the floor of our failure, looking up at the shadow of who we thought we we were becoming. And he is not there. Just in the moment we thought we were to be thoughtful or patient or kind or loving, we weren’t.
Oh now, it is not that we go on some sort of fleshly rampage, and somehow we even manage to get ourselves apart to be a little bit quiet and consciously say or think the right thing. But there is no flow to it yet, it is not really who we are yet. Instead of manifesting some modicum of control, something within us would rather be lashing out at the person who has just hurt us.
Yeah, the flesh will scream. But a weird part about this, is that we are both tempted to listen, and repulsed by the reality that we even want to give it any attention…. This beloved, is the testing and training of a true believer. And it is some of the most fruitful space in our existence.
For in the moments where we are aware of both our ability to listen to our flesh whine – and yet are still able to hear His Voice speaking to us – we are in a position to make significant steps forward in our walk with Him. And thankfully, there is One both praying for us to make the right choice, and giving us all the strength we need to do it.
G_d is amazing. He uses everything to make us more like Him.
Every moment
Every failure
Every sense of our own weakness
Every time we start to get things right
Every time we actually believe
Every time doubt wants to creep in
Every disappointment
Everything.
Can we see it? The beautiful part about this process of being conformed to His likeness, is that He already knows when and how it is going to happen. So, when we are sitting there frustrated with the fact that we are still so far from perfect, He is growing in enthusiasm over the fact that we are one step closer to fine.
It might take a few (dozen, or hundred or so) more attempts at getting something right. And while none of this truth should encourage us to think we should keep failing, the deeper truth is that we will for awhile… But then someday, we won’t. Because the Spirit at work within us is an absolute Expert at everything – including fixing formerly broken and fallen children – and turning them into the very princes and princesses of the very Kingdom of Heaven.
So, are you disappointed in your performance as a Christian lately? Perhaps this is an emotion that you (and this fool of a writer) should shed. Perhaps instead, we should take on His view of things and see that each moment of clarity like this is a step towards the Christlikeness He has in mind for us.
Tonight is your night beloved. Time to keep letting Him chisel away at you with His beautiful workings and to simply let the flakes of our failures fall away. As we do, we will see them flee as far away as the East is from the West, and we will begin to see the dawn of the perfection we are becoming in Him.
