God Will Finish What He Started

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

Christ followers love Jesus and want to be like Him in spiritual perfection and holiness, right? We want to please Him in every respect, right? But have you noticed that your noble pursuit is often interrupted by frustration and discouragement when your humanity and sinfulness blocks the way?

Believe it or not, the Apostle Paul experienced it too. Listen to his cry to the Roman Christ followers: “I don’t always understand what I do. For what I want to do, I don’t do, but what I hate to do, I do… So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me… O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” [Romans 7.15, 21, 24-25].

Aren’t you glad that Jesus delivers us from “this body of death [sin]!” Thankfully, it’s one of the great things about God; He always completes the good work of salvation He begins in every new Christ follower. One day, it will ultimately be complete. In the meantime, it is a progressive work in which He conforms us to the image of His Son, our Savior, Jesus [see 2 Corinthians 3.18]. 

Have you found, at times, that process seems painfully slow? I know I have! But we have every confidence He will complete the task. That’s why Paul told the Romans, “…these whom He has called, He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified [Romans 8.30].

What do we do until our glorification? We keep working out our salvation with fear and trembling [Philippians 2.12]. We discipline ourselves through prayer, reading and studying Scripture, obedience, and accountability to other brothers and sisters in Christ. 

A little rejoicing would be good right here. Why? Because you belong to God and He is conforming you to the image of His dear Son. Take heart even in those discouraging times. God will accomplish His will in you. He always finishes what He starts.

I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1.6