Simply Angie Not a Crutch, But a CrossTrue faith isn’t cultivated through comfort and convenience, but through diligence, surrender, and refinement.
People often say that religion is a “crutch” for the weak. When I first heard that comment as a teenager, I gave it a great deal of thought. Even then, I knew they had it exactly backward. Walking with Jesus isn’t for those who want an easy path; it’s for those who are courageous enough to pick up a cross.
Living the Christian life is the hardest and most demanding task I’ve ever set my heart on. It takes more conviction, more self-discipline, and more sheer “grit” to live a life of faith than it does to simply go with the flow of this fallen world. “If that’s true, why choose this hard path?” you might ask. The short and simple answer is, “It’s worth it!” As Christians, we look beyond the rugged, narrow road of carrying the cross and following Jesus, to the destination. There are also SO many blessings to be experienced on the journey, the chief of which is the sweetness of the relationship and fellowship you develop with the Savior and King. Cultivating the Seed of Our Precious FaithAs I’ve been looking at 2 Peter the last few weeks, I’ve been reminded that God not only expects a lot from us, but he gives us what we need to fulfill His expectations.
Jesus did all the work to save us, but because we are now His, He gives us work to do. Our faith isn’t just a decision we made in the past; it is the seed of a new life meant to be cultivated so we can grow. My husband has a simple, yet profound message that he sometimes preaches regarding God’s Will for every believer. He starts it with 2 Peter 3:18:
Before we can do anything else after being born into the family of God, we must grow. Unlike in the natural world, spiritual growth is a decision we make. It takes diligence and conscious effort on our part. Peter tells us in verse four that we need to give ‘all diligence’ to the growth process and begin adding to our faith. I’ll talk about those things we must add in future writings. Preparing the Soil: Keeping the HeartBefore we ever “add” anything to our external lives, we have to start with the “soil” of the heart. Diligence isn’t just about “doing stuff”; it is about intentionality. It is being alert and aware of the dangers and of our eternal purpose.
Think of a gardener. A wilderness just happens, but a garden requires a gardener who diligently nourishes the soil and is constantly pulling weeds before they take over. This is the daily work necessary in the heart of a healthy and fruitful Christian. Reading the Word of God, spending time in prayer, tackling our sinful habits; these are all part of the spiritual growth God desires for each of us. Refusing to “lollygag” through our spiritual lives and, instead, guarding our thoughts and motives so that the fruit of the Spirit has room to grow, is the responsibility of every child of God. The Crucible: The Work of RefinementSometimes the growth God has planned for us comes from more than just our own diligent efforts to pull the weeds and tend the soil. I learned over the years that I don’t always know what is in my own heart. God has to reveal it to me. He sees. He knows. He has plans and purposes beyond my imagination. That’s when He brings things into my life to refine me. The greatest periods of growth in my faith weren’t formed on the mountaintops; they were forged in the furnace. If you want “real,” here is real:
These fires weren’t meant to destroy me; they were meant to refine me. God uses the heat of life’s challenging circumstances to skim away the impurities of our “self” so that we can come forth more like gold. Don has often said, “We don’t really understand that Jesus is all we need, until Jesus is all we have.” I really do hate going through the trials, but I sure do treasure the aftermath; the sweetness that comes from being closer to Him. Why Put Forth All This Effort?True Christianity is a serious business. It is a continual, daily “dying to self.” But it is worth it because it is the most precious possession in existence. I often tell the children I teach: If someone offered me billions of dollars if I gave up my faith in Jesus, I would say, “No way!” I wouldn’t even be tempted. Carrying the cross, taking the narrow path, toiling in the spiritual garden to pull the weeds and bring forth fruit, and even going through the fire, is worth every perceived sacrifice and loss. While we are heirs of eternal life and are promised eternal rewards for our diligence, the greatest gift of all from this hard work is the relationship we have with the Father, His Son, and His Spirit. Priceless!
The fires, the pruning, the carrying of the cross; it is all accomplishing something eternal. God is not merely asking us to endure life. He is shaping us into the image of His Son. So don’t despise or neglect the process. Tend the garden. Stay in the fire long enough to be refined. And trust that the faith forged through diligence and suffering will one day shine brighter than gold. Blessings, P.S. The Christian life was never promised to be easy, but it was promised to be worth it. Don’t give up in the middle of the refining process. Gold shines brightest after the fire. Talk to you again soon. Can’t wait?
|
