There are many things required of us as children of God. The first and foremost is to be come like Him. We have been given power to become sons of God, John 1:12.…. and predestined to be conformed to his image, Romans 8:29. Instructed to grow up into Him, in all things, Ephesians 4:15, only takes place as we behold Him. How patient and kind he is in our pursuit within this process.
As I said in the beginning, the first place this occurs is through our prayerful meditation on the word of God. It is as we meditate on the word that the picture of who He is begins to take shape within our spiritual imagination.
Transformation can only occur as we behold Him. Learning how he thought, how he walked, seeing what he did and how he did it, are the examples we are to follow.
This isn’t an overnight occurrence but transpires through a lifetime of diligence. Our Father uses all manner of circumstances to develop this new character within us. Thank God for the help he has given us. As we grow in this process we do so by the grace He gives with our eyes on Him as the author and finisher of our faith so we do not grow weary in well doing.
Hebrews 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons:
“My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.”
Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8 If you do not experience discipline like everyone else, then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. 9 Furthermore, we have all had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them. Should we not much more submit to the Father of our spirits and live? 10 Our fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness. 11 No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who have been trained by it.
12 Therefore strengthen your limp hands and weak knees. 13 Make straight paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
Philippians 2:12-14 have been highlighted verses in my life. As I meet obstacles, I am reminded that in the midst there is a work of God being worked in and out of me. Growth really began as I took to heart verse 14 and stopped the murmuring and complaining in my attempts to obey.
We will, in this earthly tabernacle, always be dealing with our will and our obedience. When the two meet and form a willing and obedient heart we begin to see the joy Jesus held within his obedience.
This is a growth process and one that must be learned. The Father is gracious to give us the opportunities needed to learn. Just like Jesus, we will learn obedience by the things we suffer. And of course the greatest suffering we do is that place of alignment to His will as we die to our own. The writer of Hebrews is kind of enough to remind us, we have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood.
Eyes upon Him is the way of staying strengthened and refreshed. He said abide in Me for a reason. We have never been destined to this life apart from Him.
Let us be faithful in our pursuit and process to become as He is.