Whats your "why"?

2 Peter 1:3-11 “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life of godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence, by which He has granted to us His precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so near sighted that he is blind. Having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way the will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.”

What is your goal as a Christian? Well if you really dig into this question it might be more convicting than you think. Is it to reap the benefits of identifying with Christians? I hope not, but if so you are missing the entire reason for being a Christian. Maybe it is to better yourself, to be a person of stature, have some clout, or be able to take on the hard questions of life and have an answer? Maybe you just want to be seen as having honor and grace in this life. These are all possibilities of what could be taking your focus, but what if instead we focused our life’s sole purpose of understanding and learning about the Lord of life and wanting to understand the implications of the cross as much as possible here on earth? When you see that you are lacking something, where do you look? What is your why as a Christian? If Christ is not the goal then all things that you are basing your life on will crumble in the presence of Christ. Why? Because Christ is the entirety of life and not a select few aspects of life only, all of it.

I don’t know if anyone else realizes this destructive cycle of me first, pride second, submission third, but the more I learn through observing human nature in my own heart, the more I see these tendencies come out. So, what are we to do to end this cycle of destruction, and make Christ our main goal in life? The more I tried to answer this question, the more I found myself in a bit of a stand still mentally. I ended up in this cycle of circular thinking, always coming back to the same questions with no progress forward from the last cycle. I would love to know everything and understand everything that God has put into place, but that is just arrogant and unrealistic for any human to claim. I am not condoning that people should just stop pursuing God because they will never know the entirety of the gospel. No! Despite the fact we will never fully arrive in this life, I am charging myself and others to do the opposite of this cycle. Start with submission and find identity there first. Then grow the relationships, influence, and everything else from that base of humility that God has the control and you don’t. Realize the fact that our pursuit is never finished and that is a blessing in disguise not a curse. Our work here is never done and no matter what you are feeling, Good or bad, you can trust that the spirit is working through all circumstances in our lives. We can only rely on the spirit if we are to firmly base our entire earthly existence on Jesus and the grace that comes from Him alone.   

So, as Christians, who receive the divine power of Christ alone, we have a way to see the fruit (or the absence of fruit) in our lives by learning the truth the bible proclaims in our lives.

Are you blind or are you seeing more and more of the characteristics spelled out in 2 Peter in your life? Are the characteristics of Christ in your life being perfected or are they stagnant? Don’t make the mistake of seeing these characteristics as rules you must follow or chains that way us down so we can’t enjoy life fully. They aren’t restraints or meant to be a damper on what we want to do in life, they are purely signs that God is working and your life is fuller than it could have ever been without Him. Christ’s kingdom is made up of people in this state and it is good, it is a seatbelt of protection that will help us in times of struggle and weakness. The developing of your character in these areas, when the life shattering events and the attacks of Satan come, you will have a basis of character that only comes from Christ. This will serve you well as sin attacks you in your time of need.

So, what is your why as a Christian? Is it to be a better person? Or are you wanting to lay your life down to be changed into the image of Christ? This is a choice that is truly worth perusing! Hopefully, the perfecting work of Christ will become the reason for your entire existence. The rest will come into place and become clearer as Christ becomes greater.  So, again, I ask;” What is your why? Is it to be a better human, or to be transformed into the image of God?” I charge you to see the truth in your heart, be honest with yourself, and to truly see the motives in your heart compared with the truth of the gospel. If anything seems different, I guarantee that you are the one that needs to change. Trust in Christ and experience the freedom that only He can offer. Then know your why and truly live it!!