Tag Archives: faithfulness

He who began a good work in you

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Have you ever wondered if God is ignoring your prayers, if your dreams and hopes will never be realized? If you will be able to stand firm in faith? If no matter how hard you try, there will be no reward for your efforts? It’s part and parcel of walking by faith and not by sight, isn’t it? We don’t always get to see what is happening behind the scenes. What does God say about our sense of doubt?

 

“He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it.” Philippians 1:6

 

What a great verse of hope! But does that mean whatever task we undertake will be successful? Or that everything we seek to do ‘in the name of the Lord’ will be completed? Let’s look at the context of the verse.

 

Paul is writing a letter of encouragement to the faithful body of believers at Philippi. He tells them he thanks God for them and always prays for them with joy knowing they are faithfully living and advancing the gospel. They seem to be wholeheartedly doing ‘their part.’ But his confidence is not just that they will be successful but rather that GOD who first began a work of ‘good news’ in their hearts ‘from the first day until now’ ‘will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus’.

 

We sometimes act as if everything is up to us. Indeed, it is our job to faithfully respond to God’s call on our lives. But if we had the capacity to carry our good works on to our completion, then why did Jesus send his holy spirit? The good work in our lives did not even spring out of our own altruistic minds. It was begun by God. And it is God who will bring that good work to completion.

 

What good work is that? Is it our happiness and comfort? Is it the results of earthly ambitions, even those ‘committed to the Lord’? Paul was wearing prison chains as he wrote to them. That doesn’t sound like the successful completion of a plan. Yet he saw that even those punishing aspects of his life served to advance the gospel because they gave him opportunity to trust God and give testimony to his truth and grace.

 

Every problem is an opportunity to trust God.

 

Paul trusted God would be faithful to make their “love abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight.” He trusted God would give them discernment to know not only what was good, but what was BEST, that their lives would be “filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus – to the glory of God.” If you had just this carried to completion in your life, would that be enough?

 

This famous verse is not just about us. In fact, it is primarily about God, his goodness, and his persevering good work in us. Take heart. He who began a good work in you will not allow any circumstance to keep it from his completion.

 

 

Choose news you need to hear

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Your choices make you.

John Stossel recently wrote about the tendency of the media to highlight the news that develops quickly rather than that which grows slowly:  “A car crash that kills a family is terrible news. But gradual improvements in driver behavior, car and road safety, and attitudes about drunk driving should be even bigger news. Driving remains one of the riskiest things we do, but far fewer people die now.”

 

I wonder if we too are prone to viewing sudden news as more notable than that which takes time to develop. For example, the news of respected person that falls off a moral cliff is quick to stir up all kinds of conversation. But the gradual, steadfast efforts of a tired mother or a faithful dad go unnoticed. Our son or daughter wins a race or some achievement and the accolades are poured on. But do their efforts to stand strong in a tough world reign just as noteworthy?

 

And how would you report the news of your own efforts to be faithful? I’m guessing you are quick to judge your infrequent momentary failures while forgetting how many times you have said ‘no’ to tempting ways.

 

Life is a journey that is marked by thousands of seemingly small decisions, tens of thousands of choices to do and think about right things. We make hundreds of choices every day, perhaps without even knowing. Even though it may seem of little consequence at the time, these moments of victory define your life more than any ‘newsworthy’ lifetime achievements; more than your wealth, your career, or your fame. Celebrate the good news in your life!

 

“Who, then, are those who fear the Lord? He will instruct them in the ways they should choose.” Psalm 25:12

 

 

Finding strength in weakness

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One ad for the movie, “God Is Not Dead” reads, “I am not Christian because I am strong. I am Christian because I am weak and know I need a Savior.”

 

We like it when we are strong, don’t we? It is exciting to be energetic and full of life, ready and able to take on the demands of life. God’s Word often tells us to be strong and courageous. It’s the stuff of heroes and champions. Life seems good when we are strong.

 

But what about when we are weak? When there is simply not enough strength to carry on, when others have to carry your load, and sometimes carry you? Who says, “Look at the weakling. I want to be like him? Let’s choose her – she’s the weakest?” And while everyone prays for strength at some time or another, who prays for weakness?

 

We all face weak moments – sometimes in the face of temptation, sometimes in the face-off against a formidable foe. Sometimes we are weak in the battle of our mind. Sometimes our body reaches its breaking point, where the storm walls fail to hold back the devastating storm. Face it, any thought that we are the captains of our own destiny or masters of our own fate, are illusions of our mind. But . . .

 

We need not fear our weakness, as painful as it. As humiliating as it feels, our weakness is actually our key to strength. It’s found in the children’s song: “I am weak but HE is strong.” Colossians 1:27 holds the secret to our hope: “Christ in us, the hope of glory.” Paul learned the secret: “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. . . I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:11-13

 

We want strength and vitality, but can we be content in weakness? If Christ is really in charge, then yes. We think our goal is success, but really our goal is to be found faithful in the challenge. Weakness, the experience of being at the end of ourselves, is the opportunity for Jesus to reign in us. Our faithfulness is His invitation. Even if weakness is for a lifetime, it is still momentary compared to eternity, and of little consequence compared to the weight of eternal glory.

 

Be strong and courageous…even in weakness.

 

“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Romans 8:18

 

 

Enduring hope

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“Why are you in despair, O my soul?
And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence.” Psalm 42:5 NASV

 

Do you ever talk to yourself? It can be a healthy thing to do, especially when you find your feelings are at odds with what you know to be truth. You feel like giving up but you know better to press on. You feel all alone but you know that God will never leave you. You feel unloved and yet you know the lover of your soul is always faithful.

 

David talked with himself to convince his turbulent and noisy soul to listen to his spirit which was aligned with God. You see, we are made of three parts: body, soul, and spirit. And these three components don’t always concur with one another. They have to be coaxed along to get in line with the truth. The body wants junk food; the emotional soul agrees saying, “You deserve it.” The spirit speaks truth. The body complains about being always tired or hurting. The spirit says to put your eyes on God, press on. The soul questions whether it is worth it. The soul says, “I’m depressed, discouraged, downcast.” The body quickly agrees. The spirit says, “Remember your God and put your hope in Him. He is always faithful. Even when it seems He has abandoned you, He is still with you. His love never ever fails. Praise Him, not just for the relief from despair. Praise Him for the help of His presence. He will guide you through the paths you have not traveled before; He knows the way. (Psalm 73:24)

 

Our part is to choose to endure with hope and with thanks, in trouble, hardship, and distress, in sorrow and poverty. Though we have nothing, yet we possess everything. (2 Cor. 6:4,10)

 

Put your enduring hope in who God is, not just in what He can do. Live a life marked by his great faithfulness.

 

“Through Jesus therefore let us continue to offer to God a sacrifice of praise.” Hebrews 13:15