A Prayer for Progress
By Vivian Bricker
“However develop within the grace and information of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory each now and perpetually! Amen” (2 Peter 3:18).
Attending a marriage a few years in the past, I used to be struck by the thought of progress within the coronary heart of the believer. After a brand new good friend of mine had been made enjoyable of by different “Christians” for not coming to know the Lord till highschool, I began fascinated with what it meant to truly have Christian progress. My new good friend had solely been a Christian for a couple of years, but he confirmed a lot progress in that wanting time. The “Christians” who had laughed at him had claimed to be Christians since they had been a couple of years previous, but they confirmed no progress of their Christian stroll—as evident by their joyous enjoyable at making enjoyable of my good friend.
As I used to be sitting there and listening to their hurtful feedback to my good friend, I began pondering of how I used to be a brand new Christian too. I didn’t place religion in Jesus till my first 12 months of faculty. I believed, “Did this imply I used to be an immature Christian too? Would they make enjoyable of me too?” My good friend and I selected to maneuver away from this crowd and began speaking about what it truly meant to be a Christian.
Being a Christian doesn’t imply you had been saved by the age of two, three, or 4. Whereas there is likely to be a choose few who come to know Jesus this younger, it isn’t sensible for many. Youngsters can’t perceive redemption and salvation totally at such a younger age. Nonetheless, my good friend and I reminded ourselves that being a Christian meant inserting religion in Jesus. There may be not a “cut-off” date with regards to salvation.
The believing thief on the cross was informed by Jesus that on that very day, he can be with Him in Paradise (Luke 23:43). You don’t need to be a believer from the time of a younger baby so as to be saved. God calls folks to Him at varied ages and no age is superior to a different. When you’ve got positioned religion in Jesus, you’re a Christian. It doesn’t matter if you’re ten or if you’re ninety.
“So then, simply as you acquired Christ Jesus as Lord, proceed to dwell your lives in him, rooted and constructed up in him, strengthened within the religion as you had been taught, and overflowing with thankfulness” (Colossians 2:6-7).
What my good friend and I informed one another that evening, I share with you: An individual could be a Christian for a few years, but don’t have any progress of their stroll with Christ. In the identical manner, an individual who has solely been a believer for a couple of years can present a lot progress of their stroll with the Lord.
The expansion you have got in your stroll with Jesus can be dependent in your obedience to Him, if you’re going to Him in prayer, and if you’re energetic in Bible studying. All through our lives, we can be rising in our stroll with the Lord. We are able to proceed to domesticate wholesome progress by following, obeying, and loving the Lord. Progress might be painful at instances, however it’s price it so as to know the Lord higher.
As you proceed to develop in your Christian stroll, you’ll begin seeing issues extra like Jesus does. It will trigger you to have a extra tender coronary heart towards others in addition to it’s going to guarantee you’re extending Jesus’ love in your actions. In different phrases, you’ll be reflecting Jesus to the misplaced world. There may be nothing that makes God happier than to know that His youngsters are extending His love and beauty to the world.
Should you really feel you’re caught in your stroll with God, know you could flip to Him anytime. As a substitute of making an attempt to work out progress by yourself, flip to the Lord in prayer.
Let’s pray:
Expensive Lord, please assist me to have Christian progress in my very own life. At instances, I really feel as if I’m not rising in any respect. Please assist me to start out rising in my stroll with you as we speak. Assist me to be motivated to learn the Bible, go to you in prayer, and obey You every single day. I need to assist others to learn about You and to proceed to replicate Your lovely gentle to the world. Progress is difficult, however I do know you may assist me. I belief You Lord and I thanks.
In Jesus’ Title, I pray, Amen.”
Picture credit score: ©GettyImages/Sarayut
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