What were you like one year ago compared with today? Do you have more patience and kindness? Are you more generous? Have you become better at showing a real care for others?
If not, then why not?
Think about this: What does it mean to be an active Christian? Does it just mean that you read your Bible, pray every day and go to church on Sundays? Are you just doing it because it is what a Christian is supposed to do, or are you actually making progress?
Share in God’s nature
What is our goal as a Christian? We can read that in 2 Peter 1:3-4 (NIV): “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” What an incredible statement! Peter is actually saying that this is our goal: to share in godly nature through our situations here on earth! This means that a great change has to take place in us.
So what do you do if you feel you are not different today than how you were last year?
The question is: Do you see that you need to change? Do you completely depend on God’s help to guide you through your day? Do you see that God’s ways are perfect and you are an imperfect human being, full of the tendency to sin? Or don’t you think you need to change? Are you satisfied with how you are?
“Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’ – and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.” Revelation 3:17.
Always be watchful
To be self-satisfied in our Christian life is a very great danger. We must never forget that we are by nature wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked.
As long as you are humble enough to call out for help, the Holy Spirit will guide you. The worst thing you can do is to be satisfied with yourself – to think there isn’t anything you need to work on in your life. At the end of Hebrews 11:6 (NIV) we can read: “… he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” To earnestly seek something means to do it seriously, and do it all the time. To actively search for it. God can steer a ship that is moving, but not one that is standing still.
If someone asks you what you are working on in your Christian life right now, do you have an answer for them? If you don’t, then you have other priorities in your life. Other things that are more important to you than a life with Christ, a life where you get more and more of Jesus’ nature. You have become satisfied with what you have and don’t feel a need to come any further. Proverbs 1:32 (CEV) says: “Sin and self-satisfaction bring destruction and death to stupid fools.”
Maybe you have some knowledge and had some spiritual battles in your life, but is that enough? Are you done? No! You need to grow each and every day. When you go to bed at the end of the day you can think back and think about the choices you have made, checking that you’ve used the opportunities to grow. Isn’t this much better than being satisfied? Isn’t it much better than not taking it so seriously when you’ve given in to sin?
Seeing the greatness of our calling
We are called to come to godly nature, to become like Jesus (Romans 8:29). How can you become satisfied with yourself so easily? It’s because you don’t see how serious it is to change and get more of Jesus’ nature day by day while you are here on earth. You are not trying hard and making the most of your opportunities to do God’s will! Is there ever a situation where you could say: “I am thankful enough, I don’t need to be more thankful,” or, “I was kind yesterday so I don’t need to be kind again today”?
Every day is a gift you receive so you can come closer to godly nature. You should always have the attitude of mind that you want to give up your own will to do God’s will every day, every moment, every second! Only then will you see a great change in yourself from year to year! A change that makes you fit for heaven!
