Where in the World is My Joy? #7

God’s Still Working on Me

I grew up in church.  I mean, really grew up in church.  There was this song we used to sing when I was young.  It may be an old song but it is still true today.  The words go like this;

     He's still working on me
     To make me what I need to be
     It took him just a week to make the moon and stars
     The sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars
     How loving and patient He must be
     'Cause He's still workin' on me

The cool thing is that God is still working on all of us.  The big question to ask is how we can work with God as he works on us.  This part of Philippians gives us some pointers on God’s work.

What does it look like for God to work out our salvation?

My dear friends, you have always obeyed God when I was with you. It is even more important that you obey now while I am away from you. Keep on working to complete your salvation with fear and trembling, because God is working in you to help you want to do and be able to do what pleases him.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Philippians 2:12-13 (NCV)

God’s work has always been different with each person.  Read the stories of the Bible and none of them are the same.  It is encouraging to know that God loves us enough to work on us in a unique way.  That is why churches that teach a cookie cutter faith make it so frustrating at times for followers of God.  Lean into his work and let him change you into the person he dreamed you could be.  I can’t tell you how he is going to work on you, just that if we are not dead then he is not done with us.  So he is going to work on us until he calls us home to heaven.  But, how do we join in this work with him?

Have a quiet and gentle spirit

 Do everything without complaining or arguing.

                                                                                                                                       Philippians 2:14 (NCV

God’s work in our lives can be frustrating at times.  That is why we have to live without complaining about the time it takes for his work to be done.  I also know that at times I really want to argue with God about the way He works in my life and sometimes on what He is working on in my life.  I have found that when things are frustrating and hard that complaining about them just makes it worse.  So if we have a gentle and quiet spirit as we go through his work it will be more tolerable.  We need to understand that if we work with God His work can work in us.

Light Up Where You are

Then you will be innocent and without any wrong. You will be God’s children without fault. But you are living with crooked and mean people all around you, among whom you shine like stars in the dark world.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Philippians 2:15 (NCV)

We live in a world that is messed up.  People all around us look for reasons to judge or not believe in our God.  If we can all realize that we are called to be a light, no matter how dim, to brighten our world.   So if we keep sharing the good news of God with those around us, we can be innocent as we help others find God’s forgiveness and love. Can we really be innocent? In one way is to be different than the people around us.  If we are just decent to others we shine.

We Share Teachings That Will Change Lives

You offer the teaching that gives life. So when Christ comes again, I can be happy because my work was not wasted. I ran the race and won.                                                                                                                                                                                                        Philippians 2:16 (NCV)

These teachings of Jesus and the Bible can actually make our lives better.  So if we want to win we keep sharing.  Sharing the truth that changes the way we live.  The question is this: What are you sharing?  We all share something every day.  Are you sharing what will change people’s lives?  That is what we are called to do in this work God is doing in our lives.

Faith Empowers Our Sacrifice and Lends to Our Joy

Your faith makes you offer your lives as a sacrifice in serving God. If I have to offer my own blood with your sacrifice, I will be happy and full of joy with all of you. You also should be happy and full of joy with me.                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Philippians 2:17-18 (NCV)

I really don’t like when preachers talk about being a believer in Jesus makes our lives easier.  I think that having faith requires sacrifices on our part. Not to make us right with God but to push us to be something better than we could on our own.  Faith is what gets us through the rough times and yet lets us grow through all the times. 

So we find joy in the fact that God is not done working on us. That means if we aren’t dead then God is not done.  So keep growing, keep pushing through and find who God made you to be in the moment.  He is working and growing us every day.  Just lean into His work and join him in making you better.