Doing the Work

3/4/2021

Ephesians 3:17-19 ‘So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.” (ESV)

I would, if I could, save everyone. I would do whatever it took to save a relative, a friend, a neighbor, or a stranger. If I could pray “repent and yield to Jesus” for everyone, I know I would. That would probably be easier than actually ministering or witnessing to them. I so badly want others to know the love, mercy, and grace of Jesus. I want them to know the peace that passes all understanding when life gets hard. My desire, like most believers, is for all people to know that they are children of the Most High, and thus find their value in Him. Seeing the pain of this world and of the separation from God is difficult to bear.

So I pray.

Sadly, in the same way I cannot save others, I cannot do the work of growing in faith for them either. I can pray for Jesus to work in those areas of someone’s life that do not honor Him. Those same sensitive or weak areas in life where the evil one can enter and manipulate is where we need to do the most as spiritual warriors. There is no conquering evil outside of God, and no stronger weapons to use than Holy Armor and the Sword of the Spirit. 2 Peter 3:17-18: “Therefor, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and forever! Amen.”

There was a time, back before my illness reared its ugly head, when I was still in my Christian infancy. I had walked with God in some form all of my life, but I had not grown in my relationship with Him. I went to church, was involved in ministry, and prayed in a lukewarm way, but when my faith was tested, I failed. Instead of releasing all to God and trusting Him fully, I just kept asking “why?” over and over. I felt unworthy and unloved. My faith had not matured enough to withstand the storms of life, and I was experiencing a category 5 hurricane. I duped myself into thinking I was in control, until it was clear that I was not. I had to totally get to the end of myself before I could submit fully to Jesus and release all to Him. This was a painful process, but no one else could do it for me. I had to do the work myself, acting in full faith that my Savior was there with His arms open wide, waiting for me to come. I had to get into my Bible and absorb its truth and wisdom in a different way. I had to learn how to pray without ceasing, be grateful through the pain, and rejoice in the Lord. I had to decrease and have Christ increase in me. This process will never be finished while I am on the earth, but I will keep vigilantly growing in my relationship with Jesus; for He is my way, my truth, and my life.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”