Today’s Reading: Philippians 1:3-6
I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
More About Philippians 1:3-6
Written by Lysa TerKeurst (First 5 Ministries)
Not only do I need to be confident in the truth that God will complete the good work He began in me, I also need to remember He is the One who will complete His work in others.
I can’t help but notice who is in charge of the work of sanctification in 1 Thessalonians 5:23. And it’s not me. “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
God has not assigned me the job of trying to “fix” anyone else. Only He sees the hidden places of the human heart and knows what is truly going on. He is the one who knows where to “chisel” and for how long. He knows how much pressure to apply and when to let up. And quite honestly, trying to fix another person will only add to my anxiety. Letting Jesus work on me is where real progress can happen.
The truth is, we all need grace. We all need chiseling. We all need compassion and healing. And we’re also all at different points on a journey of sanctification.
Yes, there might be times He asks us to speak hard words of truth in love. But ultimately, we must remember God’s part is the fixing. Our part is the loving.
Prayer: Lord, You are the Divine Artist. Thank You for continuing to shape me into who You designed me to be. I surrender to Your work. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Journal Prompt: In this passage, Paul gives thanks for the faith and friendship of the believers in Philippi. God often uses other people as a part of the “chiseling” process in our lives in ways both painful and beautiful. How has God used someone else to help shape you?
