By David ReayWednesday 22 Feb 2017LifeWords DevotionalsFaithReading Time: 0 minutes
Transcript:
Read Philippians 1:6
6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. (NLT)
If you are one of those people who is always in a hurry, Christian discipleship is a tough assignment. We are to grow to maturity, but it takes time. We can swallow no instant-maturity pill. No one book or single conference or fervent prayer or startling insight will bring us to the goal of maturity in Christ. It takes time.
Those involved in Christian ministry can get frustrated at the slow progress of those we are trying to help. Why can’t that addiction be broken? Why can’t that marriage be mended? Why can’t that conflict be reconciled? Why can’t they show more passion and enthusiasm? And then those same people have to look at themselves in the mirror and conclude that change does indeed come ever so slowly.
There can certainly be periods or occasions of sudden growth. The road to maturity is gradual and sometimes agonisingly slow, but it is punctuated by times of remarkable rediscovery and refreshment. We are thankful for these while never assuming they are the norm for all people.
Our great comfort in all this is the truth enshrined in our text today. God is ceaselessly at work, never giving up on us, never tossing us in the too hard basket. Maturity is slow in coming, but come it will. One day, we will need to grow no more. We will be complete.
Blessings
David Reay