Joy in the journey.
It is often said that "Life is a journey", and I agree.
Our life is a journey where the endpoint is Christ-likeness, and our day-to-day lives serve as the process by which we are refined and moulded into His likeness. Sounds pretty simple, but when we are right smacked in the middle of the actual process it feels absolutely horrid and impossible. Bit by bit, parts are chiselled off. It hurts, and it hurts really bad. We want it to end quickly, but it's a slow and careful process that requires time. And just when we thought the work is finished, chiselling begins yet again. This time a different part. Sometimes, the process is a lot longer than we like. Months and years may go by, yet we find ourselves still stuck at the same place. We become weary. We lament. We question.
When will this end? When will we overcome? When will we get to the end?
These are questions that are very real to me and have been floating through my mind recently.
I have to admit, I am tired. Exhausted. Impatient.
I want things done and I want it now.
But it suddenly dawned upon me that the answer I was looking for is probably useless. Because the refining process is a continuous one. It carries on until the day we see Him again. I may finally overcome this, but another refining process will begin. My focus was wrong. I was too focused on the problem at hand and my inability to overcome that I lost sight of the bigger picture. Yes, we are told to strive towards being like Christ, but our main purpose in life is not to overcome all our sins and struggles. It is to share God's love and extend His kingdom.
I will never fully overcome and become fully like Christ. Not in this lifetime on earth. Not until Christ comes again and we are all made perfect. Until then, I need to learn to accept my struggles and shortcomings and learn to find joy in my journey.
Our life is a journey where the endpoint is Christ-likeness, and our day-to-day lives serve as the process by which we are refined and moulded into His likeness. Sounds pretty simple, but when we are right smacked in the middle of the actual process it feels absolutely horrid and impossible. Bit by bit, parts are chiselled off. It hurts, and it hurts really bad. We want it to end quickly, but it's a slow and careful process that requires time. And just when we thought the work is finished, chiselling begins yet again. This time a different part. Sometimes, the process is a lot longer than we like. Months and years may go by, yet we find ourselves still stuck at the same place. We become weary. We lament. We question.
When will this end? When will we overcome? When will we get to the end?
These are questions that are very real to me and have been floating through my mind recently.
I have to admit, I am tired. Exhausted. Impatient.
I want things done and I want it now.
But it suddenly dawned upon me that the answer I was looking for is probably useless. Because the refining process is a continuous one. It carries on until the day we see Him again. I may finally overcome this, but another refining process will begin. My focus was wrong. I was too focused on the problem at hand and my inability to overcome that I lost sight of the bigger picture. Yes, we are told to strive towards being like Christ, but our main purpose in life is not to overcome all our sins and struggles. It is to share God's love and extend His kingdom.
I will never fully overcome and become fully like Christ. Not in this lifetime on earth. Not until Christ comes again and we are all made perfect. Until then, I need to learn to accept my struggles and shortcomings and learn to find joy in my journey.