“…our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:7-9
Have you ever had an “I’m not going to make it” moment? I’ve had numerous moments of that sort. Playing full court basketball and feeling as though I’m rapidly approaching death. Not eating for 24 hours and feeling like my legs are going liberal on me. Surveying my finals schedule at the end of the semester and wondering if my professors have gone clinically insane. All overwhelming moments.
I’ve had spiritual “I’m not going to make it” moments as well. Moments when it seems like my sin will get the best of me. Like I’m never going to change. Stuck forever in a state of spiritual mediocrity. Hopeless, guilty moments. Which is why I find the above verses so encouraging.
Paul was writing to a seriously messed up church. Believers were suing each other in court, flaunting sexual immorality, and abusing the spiritual gifts like it was going out of style. If I were Paul I would have seriously questioned whether the Corinthians would ever grow in godliness. Thankfully, Paul wasn’t like me.
Paul was keenly aware that God would sustain the Corinthians until the end. God had called them into fellowship with Jesus Christ, and he would absolutely, positively hold them fast to the end. Their sin was serious and grievous, but it wasn’t the final word. In spite of all the rampant ungodliness ripping through the Corinthian church, God would be faithful to them. He would finish what he began.
Aren’t you glad that God doesn’t give up on what he started? He started a good work in you and me, and he’s promised to finish that good work. It may seem that sin is ripping through your life, and that there’s no hope for you. Good news: we serve a God who finishes what he began.
Thanks for yet another encouraging post that leads us to remember what a great God we have
thank you. i can’t explain to you how much i needed to be reminded of this today. its so easy to see my sin because my sin is so gross. its what killed Christ. and though I hate it, it still creeps in and finds areas to control. and then it hurts to cut it back out again.
i’m in the middle learning to trust in God’s goodness, whether He chooses to give or take. even when He chooses to take, it is SO helpful to be reminded that He’s not giving up on me. that His goodness is not defined by what He gives (or takes) and that my hope is not in my current circumstances, but instead its in the fact that He WILL complete this.
sin ripping through your life?
check.
God finishing what He began?
check.
thank you. i needed that.
Hey there Stephen!
Thank you for a much needed reminder that we are much worse than we think we are but more loved than we will ever know!
I truly am thankful that my Father is taking care of me every step of the way, even in ways that are totally unknown and unseen by me. I am a work in progress but my maker is really, really good at what He does!
Thanks again for a great reminder of whose we truly are!
Blessings
Ron Reffett
Thank you, Lord, for not abandoning me. I often have those “not going to make it moments,” but how good to know that neither my sin nor my circumstances negate God’s faithfulness. You’re post helped my heart turn to the Lord in thanks today. Great post, Stevie.
I think I often do not realize the depth of my own depravity, but also do not realize the depth of God’s love for me. The passage that really finally helped me see God’s love for me was Romans 8 (excerpts from):
“For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!…and not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body…yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, is able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
1. We have been saved and made sons!
2. We still struggle with sin, waiting for the adoption of our bodies.
3. In spite of still struggling with sin, no matter how bad it gets, nothing can now separate us from the love of God.
Our Father is wonderful :]
That is so encouraging…thank you!!! It’s so amazing to remember that we’re not responsible for our own salvation and that even in our sanctification God is working with us. He’s wonderful, isn’t he?
Boaly – My pleasure man. And I will get those questions back to you soon!
Emily – Glad you found it encouraging. It seems like when we see our sin for what it truly is, we really need to be reminded of God’s faithfulness. Otherwise we would just give up.
Ron – Isn’t that the glory of the gospel? We’re much worse than we know, yet God still forgives all our sins. Incredible.
Jen – Thanks lovie.
Rachel – Romans 8. Classic. If you need encouragement, that’s the place to go!
Megan – God truly is wonderful – and that’s an understatement!
One of my favorite verses on this theme of His faithfulness to finish what He begins is 1 Thes. 5:23-24…esp. the end: He who calls you is faithful. He will surely do it.