How do you measure growth?

5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with goodness, goodness with knowledge, 6 knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with godliness, 7 godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they will keep you from being useless or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:5-8

My wife does raised-bed gardening in some cedar boxes I built for her. This year we are trying three such boxes with a variety of vegetables. She is a bit of a tomato aficionado, so we have a couple of different varieties planted, though not as many as last year. She got the last of her plants in the ground recently, so now it is just water and wait.

The end goal of planting these tomato plants is red, juicy fruit that she can enjoy. It has been just a few days since the tiny plants were planted, so they obviously aren't there yet. But every day I come home from work, I can see subtle changes in her garden: a new flower here, a new shoot there. I swear the beans are growing like an inch a day.

Imagine if I were to go home today and say to my wife, "Well, looks like you failed with your tomato plants. We don't have tomatoes." Just a few days after she had them planted, she'd likely look at me like I was crazy, and rightfully so. Producing fruit take time. Just because they don't measure up to the standard today doesn't mean there hasn't been progress, and whether or not they eventually produce tomatoes is entirely up to God.

We all recognize how ridiculous it would be to demand full-grown tomatoes from a newly-planted seedling, and yet so many times an exhortation to growth on my part has been received as a demand for perfection on their part. As I wrote a few posts ago, a pastor I know asked me a while back why I was "impatient with imperfection." I have mulled that question over quite a bit for the last few months, and this is the conclusion I have come to: I'm not. My goal for myself, my family, and for those around me that God brings across my path is not perfection, but rather continuous improvement.

12 Not that I have already reached the goal or am already fully mature, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, 14 I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus. 

Philippians 3:12-15

I can't even begin to count how many times I was certain some idea I had or some advice I gave was right on target only to find out later that I was completely off base. I have said more stupid, insensitive things than there are seconds in a day. But one thing I know and one thing I do: I know that, by God's grace, I am more Christlike today than I was 6 months ago, and by God's grace, I continually put my past mistakes behind me and press on towards the goal of being conformed to the image of Christ.

So the question remains, when I encourage others to do the same, to not be satisfied with where they are but to press on towards the goal, why does it come across as being "impatient with imperfection"? I ask this because, while this pastor was off in diagnosing my intent, he was spot on in identifying a very common response.

I am sure that some of that has been my methods. I am continually evaluating my interactions with others against the goal of gentleness. But I am also convinced that part of the "you're just demanding perfection" response is raging against a message that is pervasive in scripture: 

While God loved us enough to save us as we were, 

He also loves us enough not to leave us as we are. 

Being conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29) is a difficult and often painful process, and when God uses a brother or sister to highlight an area that needs to be addressed, sometimes it is just easier to condemn the messenger rather than consider the message. And for some, that may be because they condemn themselves for not having reached the goal already instead of rightly evaluating incremental growth that God has likely already produced. Jesus said that when a vine starts producing fruit, rather than just leaving it alone, He cuts off unnecessary parts to produce even more fruit. (John 15:2)

I used to be in a small group with a husband and wife team (J & N) several years ago. They are wonderfully giving and caring people. One phrase N used quite often to describe persistent difficult interactions with certain people is that these individuals were "sandpaper people" for her. It's a great way to look at those interactions. They may be rough, but if we are willing, God uses them to sand off the rough edges on us, scraping away our dead flesh so that the living light of Christ can shine through us.

When you encounter those individuals that take the time to exhort you to greater Christ-likeness, I urge you not to just see someone highlighting your faults. And I especially urge you not to slay the messenger. Rather, take the time to consider the message. Maybe it really is time to take another step down the path, to sprout a new leaf or produce a new tomato bud. Don't let satan condemn you in your flesh, for there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). Instead, lay hold of the promise that God will complete what He started in you (Philippians 1:6). And I bet that, somewhere along the way, He's going to use a little sandpaper to do it.

Iron sharpens iron,

So one man sharpens another.
Proverbs 27:17 (NASB)

You are not alone

27 Jacob, why do you say,
and Israel, why do you assert:
“My way is hidden from the Lord,
and my claim is ignored by my God”?
28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
Yahweh is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the whole earth.
He never grows faint or weary;
there is no limit to His understanding.
29 He gives strength to the weary
and strengthens the powerless.
30 Youths may faint and grow weary,
and young men stumble and fall,
31 but those who trust in the Lord
will renew their strength;
they will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary;
they will walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:27-31

Do you feel alone? Do you feel like not even God understands what you are going through? Haven't you heard? Yahweh is the everlasting God, the Creator of the whole earth! He never grows faint or weary; there is no limit to His understanding! God never grows tired of being God, of being the One in control of everything. And He always understands everything and everyone to the utmost. There is nothing that you face that is beyond His power or His understanding. He is the Creator of all things, and as a disciple of Jesus Christ, He is also your Father in heaven.

Are you tired of bearing the burden you carry? He gives strength to the weary. Do you feel helpless to change the circumstances you face? He strengthens the powerless. Even the strongest among us faint and grow weary at times, and even the most committed stumble and fall. But you, trust in the Lord, and He will renew you strength. Trust in the Lord, and you will soar on wings like eagles. Trust in the Lord, and you will run this race of being a disciple with endurance, not growing weary or faint.

 

Cast your burden on the Lord,

and He will sustain you;

He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.

Psalm 55:22

A Study in Ephesians: Pt. 8, Ephesians 1:15-19

Ephesians 1:15-19 (ESV) For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might

Something that is lost in some English translations, or at the very least hidden to a certain extent, is that verses 17-19 is what Paul is actually praying for when he says in verse 16 that he remembers the Ephesians in his prayers. The ESV here correctly translates that sense of the Greek, and in reality verses 15-21 are a single sentence in the Greek.

So why that is that important to know? As I discussed last post, Paul is specifically thanking God for the Ephesians ultimately because He is demonstrating His glory through saving them and the love they show others. In these prayers, Paul not only thanks God for them, he prays that God will give something specific to them. In the same way that Paul's thanks for the Ephesians is because God has displayed His glory through them, the things Paul asks God for on behalf of them is also for the ultimate purpose of bringing glory to God. These aren't simply good things to have, and Paul isn't just mentioning them as an aside this one time. Every time he prays for the Ephesians, he is asking God to glorify Himself by giving the Ephesians the things he prays for listed in Verses 17-19. That should make us sit up and take notice. What is it that Paul is praying for?

What is most telling to me is what Paul is not asking for here. He is not asking for greater love, faithfulness, or obedience for the Ephesians. These are undoubtedly important, but it's not what Paul is asking for. He's not asking for greater boldness in sharing their faith. In fact, he's not asking for anything that requires any action on the part of the Ephesians whatsoever. What he asks for is this: that God would grant the Ephesians greater knowledge and understanding of Him through the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation. What I believe Paul is getting at, in essence, is this: "God, help them understand You and the glory You are revealing in them and through them."

Paul wants the Ephesians to understand three things in particular:

1. The hope to which they have been called
2. The richness of the inheritance waiting for them
3. The greatness of God's power towards those who believe

Knowing how much Paul has to say elsewhere about the difficulties we will face as disciples of Christ (Philippians 1:29, Philippians 3:10, Romans 8:18), it seems to me that Paul is asking for these three things in light of that understanding, as if to say:

"The life God has called you to may be hard for now, but ultimately your calling is one of hope. God has prepared a glorious inheritance for you once your time on this earth is done. In the meantime, your God is powerful enough both to secure the hope of your calling and your inheritance and to carry you through the temporary trials of this life. And remember, ultimately, this is all for His glory, and God's glory is definitely worth it."

When you face the difficult times in your life, don't just pray for strength to make it through. Pray for wisdom and understanding that God may grant you a glimpse of how your trial brings glory to Him.

Keep your eyes on Jesus

Hebrews 12:1-2
1 Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, 2 keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame and has sat down at the right hand of God's throne.

Verse 2 was the youversion.com verse of the day today. As I wrote about earlier, running with endurance means, in part, laying aside the baggage from experiences that God used to teach you Christ-likeness. There is another part to it as well. Not only do we lay aside the past, we keep our eyes on the future, namely the glory that God will reveal in us through Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith. 

I don't think it a coincidence that so much of what God has brought across my path to write about of late has been about having a biblical understanding of the role of suffering in making us more Christ-like. The journey of sanctification is a difficult one, and we need constant reminders that not only will our difficult experiences make us more like Christ, but also that they are temporary and fleeting in light of the eternity that we will spend in glory with Christ. 

Here in Hebrews 12:2, the writer of Hebrews reminds us yet again that Jesus endured more than we could ever imagine while here on this earth. He was able to do this, in part, because He kept His focus not on His temporary troubles, but on "the joy that lay before Him." Because His eyes were fixed on that joy, that glory, He "endured a cross and despised the shame" in order to, secure our salvation yes, but ultimately to bring Himself glory. 

When I originally read "despised the shame," I didn't quite understand it. The HELPS word study on that word gave me some insight here.

2706 kataphronéō (from 2596 /katá, "down, according to," intensifying 5426 /phronéō, "regulating behavior from inner mind-set") – properly, view down, i.e. with a negative (hostile) outlook; to despise, thinking down on (thinking little of); esteem lightly, seeing as insignificant or detestable; to treat with contempt or disregard (BAGD); devalue; to depreciate (scorn); pay no regard to (because something seems of no account); " 'despise, scorn,' and show it by active insult" (Souter).

I think the phrase that is key to our understanding is "esteem lightly, seeing as insignificant". In a sense Jesus "couldn't care less" about the shame that He was subjected to specifically because He was focused on God's eternal kingdom, not His own temporary troubles. Paul expresses the same sentiment in Romans 8:18.

Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us.

Compared to the glory that will be revealed in us, we should consider our present sufferings as insignificant. Don't focus on your momentary troubles. Keep your eyes on Jesus, Who is not only the source of the faith that is in you, but is also the One Who will perfect that faith through the trials and troubles you face in this life.

Strength will rise as you wait upon the Lord

Psalm 33:20-22

20 We wait for Yahweh;

He is our help and shield.

21 For our hearts rejoice in Him

because we trust in His holy name.

22 May Your faithful love rest on us, Yahweh,

for we put our hope in You.

Arise, O my soul, and prepare yourself to wait for the Lord.

Make ready your weapons of battle that the Lord may call on you in His timing.

Strive for stillness before the Lord that you may hear when He calls.

Now is the time to renew your strength, to drink deeply from His fount of steadfastness.

It is the Lord who is at work within you and around you; do not fear!

It is Yahweh, Jehovah Jireh, Who is sustaining you; do not be dismayed!

The timing of the Lord is perfect; the very hands of time are subject to His will.

His plans cannot be thwarted, nor can they be delayed.

The Lord is coming to rescue you; wait for the Lord!

-November 7th, 2008

God will restore you

1 Peter 5:10 Now the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will personally restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little.

Several years ago I lost my job at the time, and after I took my wife to work the next Monday, I went to spend some time in solitude with God. This was the passage God took me to. It was the beginning of a 3 week journey that God used to teach me about myself, about who I am in Him, and about who I need to be to those around me.

At the time, what stood out to me was the fact that God must do the restoring, not me, and that He would personally do it, not "delegate" it to someone or something else. Isn't that amazing? The God of all grace will personally restore you. I am always moved by the personal touch of our Mighty God. He is the creator of all things, and He knows His creation so intimately that in my time of suffering, He brought me to a promise in His word that He would personally restore me. Praise God!

As I read this verse today, I saw it in a different light. Three things stand out to me. One, God will start with restoration. As my pastor is teaching in his current series, God sees what we can be in Him and what purpose He can use us for through restoration. The word translated here as "restore" literally means "to fit together, prepare". God pieces us back together and prepares us for His plan to come. This is a great promise.

Two, Peter uses three words that all basically mean the same thing - establish, strengthen, and support - to convey this idea: When God plants you in this new purpose He has for you, He will plant you firmly, supporting you from all sides, grounded and established in Him, strengthened for the purpose He has for you. As a favorite song of mine puts it, "no power of hell and no scheme of man" will be able to move you when you are established by God.

Three, what is necessary before all this takes place is that you suffer a bit. Sometimes I really wish this weren't the case, but we see it many, many places in scripture that becoming Christ-like through suffering is the way God does things.

Are you going through a period of suffering right now? Rest in the promise of this verse - After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace will personally restore, establish, strengthen and support you.

Run with endurance

Hebrews 12:1-2
1 Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, 2 keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame and has sat down at the right hand of God's throne.

The writer of Hebrews called out something other than sin to lay aside, and that really stood out to me. Verse 1 encourages us to lay aside every "weight" along with the sin that easily ensnares us. I see a picture of a someone training for a race that wears weights around his ankles and wrists, and maybe a backpack as well. A former boss of mine used to train for hiking up strenuous mountain trails by filling a backpack full of bottles of water and then climbing 12 flights of stairs over and over again. When it came time to actually climb the mountain trails, he wasn't doing so with 30 lbs of water on his back! He set that aside and hiked unencumbered, and he was stronger and was able to endure the climb because of his training.

God uses the hardships of our lives to make us more Christlike (Romans 8:28-29). But sometimes, rather than laying aside these training tools when the time comes for running the race, we hang on to these hardships, and they become burdens that weigh us down. It's different with sin. Sin is a pothole or fallen tree or mass of vines that we have to keep an eye out for as we run this race so that it doesn't trip us up. But how much more difficult is it to do that if we are trying to run with a backpack full of emotional baggage? 

Failed relationships, wounds from our childhood, unhealthy desires for the praise and approval of others, sins others committed against us, these are all things that weigh us down. 

Today is a new day, and you can either run today's race unencumbered in the joy and strength of the Lord, or you can put on a backpack full of all the past hurts you have experienced. Lay aside the weight, and run with endurance.

Thank God for hardships

Romans 8:28-29
28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For those He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.

I am sure some people interpret v. 28 to mean that in every circumstance, God will work things out to personally benefit me in a way that I am happy with. On the other end, there are some (myself included) who would interpret it to mean that God works for general good of His children, not necessarily to better the circumstances of a particular individual. But as I was reading through Romans 8, I noticed something that highlights the need to always read verses in context.

Paul specifically defines the good he is talking about in verse 28 with his statement in verse 29. I don't know about you, but I often view those two verses as separate and unrelated texts. Verse 28 is about the here and now relationship between God and His children, and 29 (and 30 too) are about the nature of salvation. How easy it is to forget that Paul wasn't numbering his thoughts in a chapter-verse format!

That tiny little word at the beginning of verse 29 is so important: "for". Paul is continuing his thought here. God works all things together for the good of those whom He has called, and this good is not just the calling and election to salvation, eventually resulting in glorification (v. 30). "For those He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son." That's the good, and it is for each and every believer individually. 

In every circumstance you face, God is working to conform you to the image of His Son, to make you more Christ-like. The hard news is that God usually does this through difficult, trying circumstances. The good news is that the more Christ-like you become, the easier it is to face those trying circumstances and see that they too will make you even more Christ-like.

Philippians 1:29 For it has been given to you on Christ's behalf not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him.
Ephesians 5:20 [Give] thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ

You have been granted the privilege of being made Christ-like through suffering. For every trying circumstance you face, give thanks to God.