Efforts and Outcomes
Scripture to Ponder:
2 Peter 1:3-15
Ephesians 4:24
I sat in the stands taking in the atmosphere. The energy coursed through the arena and continued to grow. I watched the coaches, parents, and families eager for their child to make it to the next round. To be one step closer to the final goal and get the win. What stood out to me the most, watching this group of kids who have grown in this sport for years, was the effort they had put in during the season. Effort shows. Effort is seen in outcomes. Without effort we can’t grow and move forward to the outcome we desire. We’ve recently been in the season of the Olypmics and it is hard to fathom the amount of effort the individuals have put in day after day, hour after hour, to achieve this one life-long goal. Their lives are a reflection of making every effort to achieve their goal. No matter the hardship, no matter the cost, no matter how grueling the days, they continued to press forward to their goal.
Now comes the time for self-reflection. Hang in with me, Sis! I’m not talking about physical effort. Thank goodness, because I am currently setting with an Oreo cookie hanging from my mouth as I type. No, sweet friend, I’m talking about the effort we put into our closeness with the Savior. Peter reminds us that we have to put forth effort to become more like Christ. Not that it's obtained by our works, it's all because of his grace, but to walk closer with Christ it takes effort on our part. He reminds us that no matter how mature we become in our spiritual walk we always need to give every effort in becoming more like him. If we continue giving our effort to become more and more like Christ, we will be effective for Christ. What an incredible life long goal: being effective for Christ and becoming more like him!
Our culture pushes hard for each person to be themselves: Do what makes you happy - Be true to yourself. But Christ teaches the opposite. He says die to yourself. While the world screams to be yourself and do whatever it is that makes you happy, Christ teaches what is radically opposite. Die to self and live as a “new man" through Christ. He brought us a gift that no longer leaves us striving for things that offer no hope. He wants us to share in his holiness and we're encouraged to be partakers in his character. If you're new to this, Sis, don't worry. Let's take small steps to gain understanding. How do we begin this process of being partakers? We have to start with knowing who we are striving to become more like. We have to get close to the Father so that we can intimately know his character. In the age of social media it's a lot easier to say we know someone without truly knowing them. This kind of knowing takes effort. Every effort in fact. You don't become besties for the resties without effort!
Hearing and believing also require action - obedience. It's what continues to bring us closer to the Father. The closer we become the better equipped we are to hear the Holy Spirit guiding us towards obedience. Disobedience brings separation, so we must make every effort to be obedient to the call of Christ. The outcome is worth every effort!
“I want the most out of this!” Me too, Sis. Me too. Maybe you’re doing all the right things that you've been taught. A checklist if you will: Go to church - check, give to others - check, tithe - check, be a good person - check, … what we have to ask ourselves is: am I giving EVERY effort like Peter talked about? Am I striving to abide? Am I striving to be obedient? I could go on and on, sweet sister, but the truth is no one can know but you. I can't see your heart. I can't see if you're just going through the motions or if you are allowing Christ to transform you from the inside. But your effort is seen, sis, and it matters. You matter. He sees you. He sees every effort you make. So, keep striving. Keep making every effort to be more like him! Keep adding. Keep adding virtue to your faith, knowledge to your virtue, self control to your knowledge, steadfastness to your self control, godliness to your steadfastness, brotherly affection to your godliness, and love to your brotherly affection. Keep making every effort to be more like him. If you do that sis, you will be effective for Christ! Think of what we could do for Christ if we made the same effort for him as we do our kids….. (insert your choice here- mine would be my kids). If we don't see our need to strive for this, Peter tells us we're blind and have forgotten the very grace that covers us. Let's not be sisters that are blind but sisters that ask Christ to search our hearts and make us more like him. Let's be sisters that walk forward in grace and make every effort. Let's be sisters that are so sustained by Christ that we can help to sustain our sisters towards life long goal of becoming like Christ! He's given us a promise that one day we will achieve that precious goal! Let's be there together!!!
You are loved, Sis!
Questions to Ponder:
1) I make efforts with my career, my family, my friends, my ambitions and goals…Am I making every effort in my relationship with Christ?
2) I hear, I believe, but am I walking in obedience to Christ?
3) (If I am completely honest with myself) What are of my life receives most of my effort?
