We're In This Together

Scripture

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. -Philippian 3:12-14

The Apostle Paul wrote the epistles so masterfully that it would seem that he had matured spiritually in every way, but in the verses above, he assured his audience that he had not. It is easy for believers to look at Christian leaders as if they had already attained. Some leaders perpetuate this idea by cultivating an attitude as if they had attained it. The truth is, no matter our position in the Body of Christ, whether a young Christian, minister, mother, or father in Christ, no one has been perfected. We are all still striving, so let's let ourselves and others off the hook. 

A tree, when planted and sprouts out of the ground, is still a tree, but the little tree is still far from its full development. It grows into perfection and maturity. This is also true for the believer. Upon salvation, we become children of the Most High God, but we are not perfect in our stages of development in our faith and maturity. Like the tree, it takes time. This means we'll fall short and sin, cause pain to ourselves and others, be disobedient, and possibly struggle internally. This does not, however, change the fact that we are children of God. The work of the Holy Spirit will be carried out in us daily for the rest of our lives. 

What we do is press forward in our lives and stop looking back at our past. Whether we've made good or bad decisions, there is no turning back. We keep our hands on the plow, no matter what, pressing on to do God's will, not our own. We have been made new in Christ, therefore we have to lay hold of this truth, and we can't do that looking back or to the future. We're being formed into the image of Christ to become a witness for Him right now. While we're being perfected,  we are to encourage others to enter the same race. For this is discipleship. Beloved, be encouraged today, no one has yet reached perfection or completion in Christ. We are all striving. We're in this together.  

Prayer

Father, please grant us the divine empowerment to keep our hands on the plow. We ask for your strength to continue to submit to the work of the Holy Spirit to lead us to completion in you. In Jesus' name. Amen