The Apostle Paul taught us that even though we suffer in
our life, the suffering is nothing when compared to the glory, which God is
revealing in our life through them (Romans 8:18). Each trial has a specific
purpose, a lesson for us to discover. We may learn to forgive, to use patience,
to love the unlovely or to walk in peace through the tribulation. Each test is
an opportunity for the character of Christ to manifest in and through us.
The more we abide in the Vine of Christ, the more fruit we
bear (John 15:5). The
nourishment of God’s Spirit flows through the Vine and into each one of us. We
are firmly grafted and rooted in Him, with all the spiritual fruit of the
Spirit and the Divine nature of Christ dwelling within us (Galatians 5:22-23; 2 Peter 1:4). At
times, we go through the same type of suffering more than once, in order to
fully imbed that Godly trait in our character.
As we fully abide in Christ our love, witnessing,
forgiveness and life imitate His (John 15:9-12). He manifests Himself through us
in all of His glory as we walk in obedience to the guidance of His Spirit
within us. God’s Spirit transforms us by His fruit into a replica of Christ
Himself (2 Corinthians
3:18). His Divine nature manifests in and through our spirit.
If we say we do not have a sinful nature, we deceive our
self and make God out to be a liar (1 John 1:8, 10). However, God faithfully
forgives us and delivers us from the desire to sin through Christ in us (1 John 1:9). No one
who says they live in Christ can continue to sin. If they do keep sinning,
Christ does not live in them (1 John 3:9). If the root of the Vine is holy, so are the
branches (Romans 11:16). In
time, God’s holiness totally manifests through us.
As this occurs, we start to consider others better than our
self, because He first loved us (Philippians 2:3; 1 John 4:19). We love as Jesus loved, not
caring about a place to sleep (Luke 9:58) or money in the bank, but only about ministering to
those at home, work, church and community that He directs us to help. We abide
in Christ because He abides in us (John 15:4). In Him, there is no sin, and when we abide in Him,
we live in holiness (2
Corinthians 5:21).
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, as we live each moment of our day in unbroken
fellowship with You, You replace our carnal nature with Your nature, and then
sin does not dominate us (Romans
6:14). Teach us to love sacrificially as You did; but only as Your Spirit
leads, and not by our codependent enabling or rescuing. We tend to wear our
self out in caring for others; but remind us to live according to Your example,
and to take time to get away and to rest in You.
Thought for the Day:
God does not remove our carnal nature, but He does replace
each sinful tendency with the fruit of His Spirit through the things that we
suffer. - Hebrews 5:8