A Work in Progress

“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,”  Phil 2:12

Working out our salvation…Becoming more like Christ…Glorifying Him more.

We are called to work out our faith. Live it out, figure out how to put skin on our faith. How to live God-pleasing, God-honoring lives.

Do not get me wrong. Working out our salvation does not make us more worthy of Christ’s sacrifice. No, it only means God wants an on-going connection to us. He wants our hearts, our awe, and our lives. When we are more and more in awe of Him and more and more in love with Him then we want to obey Him more and more.

Isn’t that what working out our salvation means? Being in AWE of the God who created the heavens and the Earth, being in LOVE with the Lover of our souls, and obeying our Heavenly Father.

Oh that we would live as people in progress –seeking Him more, loving Him more, obeying Him more. As works in progress we never arrive. There is always grace to share, kindness to offer. There is no room for judgement because we are all works in progress.

How do we remember that we are works in progress?

1.  Compare ourselves to Christ. We can always find someone we are better than, but no one can compare to Jesus the God man and His perfect life.
2. Confess our sins by name to God. Being specific with God about our sin reminds us how desperately we need Christ on a daily basis.
3. Keep the cross in mind. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is His ultimate act of love for us. As we contemplate His sacrifice we realize how desperately we need Christ’s refining fire.

What helps you remember that you are a Work In Progress? I can’t wait to hear what you have to say.