“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:2-3, NIV)

Do you ever struggle in your journey of the Christian life?  I mean, do you ever look at your life and get discouraged that you are not living up to the goal of God for who he wants you to be, and what he wants you to do?  Do you ever start looking at how other people are growing and I get discouraged because you don’t measure up?  If so, I would guess that the next thing that comes across your mind and the next things you try to do is to work harder at whatever it is that is lagging behind God’s design and will.  The thought becomes – if I work harder at this, and concentrate more on me and my performance, things will improve and I can please God more.

The problem, at least that I have found, with that thinking and way of approaching spiritual growth is that the more I focus on me, and the harder I try to make me different. The more “improvements” I make in what I do … the more I struggle, and the more I get discouraged at my lack of progress, and the harder it gets to see any movement in my spiritual life.  You know what I think?  I think I’m the problem!  And, focusing on me isn’t going to make me any better or more faithful.  I can’t make myself any better than I am.  I couldn’t save myself to begin with, and I can’t muster up what it takes to keep moving forward spiritually either.  Remember these words?  “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God– not by works, so that no one can boast.”  (Ephesians 2:8-9, NIV)

But, Paul didn’t stop there in his message from God to the Ephesians and us.  He went on to say, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”  (Ephesians 2:10, NIV).  Did you catch that – “God’s” workmanship, which “God” prepared.  Now, that means that spiritual growth and good works are God’s design for our lives.  So, what do we do?

Well, let me suggest a couple of things that I think God is reminding me of these days.  First, I have to remember that I am created IN CHRIST JESUS to do good works.  I’m not the one who is in charge of those good works, nor the one who makes them happen.  It is IN Christ that good works become part of my life.  And, secondly, they are the good works that God created in advance for ME to do.  That means the gauge of my spiritual progress is not measured against other people, but against God’s design.  And here’s the deal, all of that just kind of takes a lot of pressure off of me, and you.

I don’t mean to suggest that we don’t have to do anything to grow spiritually, and that it is all up to God (meaning it is his fault if it doesn’t happen).  But what I am suggesting is that spiritual growth and progress is something that comes, not from my doing and striving, but from my abiding – IN Christ.  I think that might be the point of where this blog post began, in Hebrews 12:2.  It says, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus…”.  He is the “author” of our faith – the one who created us in the innermost place with a design for our lives before even one day came to be.  And he is the “perfecter” of our faith – the one who works in us to cause us to live out that divine design.

Jesus has told us clearly, “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”  (John 15:4, NIV).  Here is the prescription for not growing weary and loosing heart in the journey of the Christian life…  Abide in Christ.  Remain in the love of God that is the basis for life and salvation and the process of sanctification.  Remain faithful and true to the leadership of God in your life through his Word, because obedience to what we know IS important.  Rejoice in the Lord, that you belong to him and he loves you.  And love each other in the body, and those who need Christ, like God has loved you.

Really, it isn’t about how much I can do that causes my spiritual growth and progress.  It is about what God can do in me because I am IN Christ.  Turn to Christ for your salvation.  Then, keep looking to Jesus, keep drawing near to him, keep letting him in to all the areas of your life, and HE will produce in you good and lasting spiritual fruit.

Let me know what you think!