A Work in Process

¹² Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, ¹³ for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.  Philippians 2:12,13

As a teacher, I have often thought of the long laborious struggle teachers go through to prepare new curriculum.  The first year's preparation is very intense and you tend to make many mistakes upon delivery of your instruction.  A good teacher, though, will look over the material the following year and decide what to keep that you did well and what to change.  Through this process, you begin to constantly evolve your thoughts and ideas to develop and enhance your skills and preparation of the curriculum.  New methods form and your delivery is stronger and better the next year.  This process is critical if you want to see growth in your students.  It not only benefits your students but it benefits you as well.  

So it is with our spiritual walk with the Lord.  The Lord is giving us new curriculum to learn and develop in our daily life.  This curriculum He is teaching us to use and to teach others is a laborious struggle.  We work and evolve our thinking so that eventually we will be able to align ourselves with His plan.  The first year and for many ongoing years, we tend to make mistakes, we adjust, we try again, we learn and make the necessary changes.  We are a work in progress.  It is God who works in us to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose.  

Too often I beat myself over the head saying, "I am not good enough."  I think I am my worst enemy.  God is telling me that I must work out my salvation with fear and trembling.  God isn't saying to me, "You are bad, you made a mistake, you will never learn."  God is my greatest cheerleader, He says, as a good teacher would, "Let's evaluate what worked well, what do you need to change, readjust and make this change, great job, keep going, I am so proud of you, I know the intent of your heart."  Let God reveal to you His love for you, allow yourself to reframe your thinking, and let go of your preconceived ideas.  

 ⁶ Seek the LORD while he may be found;
   call on him while he is near.
⁷ Let the wicked forsake their ways
   and the unrighteous their thoughts.
Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them,
   and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
 ⁸ “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
   neither are your ways my ways,”
            declares the LORD.
⁹ “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
   so are my ways higher than your ways
   and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Isaiah 55:6-9