Not there yet.

Picking up from last week, we may be a long way from being like Jesus but at least we are on the journey. Asking God to open our eyes so we can see ourselves, is asking God to show us where we can grow.

This means we have to be willing to face the ugliness in us, the sin nature in us, the part of us that needs Jesus and present it to God daily. Make me more like you Jesus. This does not mean I embark on the journey of making myself a better version of myself. No. I don’t want to be a better version of me, because that is determined by what I think I should be. What I think I can or can’t do. That would be very limiting. I want to be who God wants me to be, and bible tells me that God wants me to be transformed into the image or likeness of Jesus Christ, 2 Corinthians 3:16-18.

Last week I mentioned how sometimes we are better than we were but not quite where we should be. I was saying that in the context of God showing us things that need work in us. Not as a matter of self-evaluation. Every time I step into self-evaluation, I always feel like I am behind. I should be doing much better than this. I should be further than this. I am not where I am supposed to be. There is a frustration that comes with that because it is not how God wants us to think about ourselves.

Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 makes it clear that it is God who knows the plans not us. We may get glimpses of the plans but we don’t have the full step by step program for our lives. So how do we know that we are behind? That we are not where we are meant to be? Unless God is showing you something you need to work on, trust God with your progress. He knows the plans. Our job is not to understand every step along the way, our job is to trust and obey.

There are times when you are going to want to pull your hair out on this God journey, but keep moving with God. Keep trusting, keep following Him. He knows what He is doing with you and in you. Philippians 1:6 says, “I pray with great faith for you, because I’m fully convinced that the One who began this gracious work in you will faithfully continue the process of maturing you until the unveiling of our Lord Jesus Christ!”

This tells us two things; Holy Spirit is consistent, and this is gonna take a while. God is always working. Even when we don’t see it or feel it, He is working. Even so, His work will not be finished until Jesus returns. Meaning it may be a lifelong work for us unless Jesus comes back in our lifetime! This means, we are always going to be in between places. Better than where we were and not quite there yet and that’s OK. As long as you keep following Jesus and doing what He asks you to do, you’re going to be just fine.

I’ll leave you with this, Psalm 37:5 says, “Give God the right to direct your life, and as you trust him along the way, you’ll find he pulled it off perfectly!”

Love and blessings,

Melissa Tsingano