Issue 1214 – In Process – August 5, 2023
I am continuing along the journey of teaching myself to sketch and draw. In some areas, I am making progress; in others, I just cannot seem to get it right. It is a process.
The “experts” say in learning that to get an image down pat, you need to draw it fifty times. I don’t know about that, but it does seem the more I draw, the easier it becomes.
I’m not ready to exhibit “my art” to the world yet, but I have made enough progress to show my third or fourth-grade teacher who said I’d never be able to draw anything that maybe they were wrong. I hold no ill will to her. I’m sad that I allowed one person’s ability to hold me back from trying for so many years.
Interestingly, we simply accept that skill comes with practice when it comes to the arts or the trades. We don’t expect a first-year piano student to play an entire concerto flawlessly. We don’t expect a kid with crayons to rival the work of Michelangelo or Ruebens. We would be surprised if a carpentry apprentice made a world-class credenza on the first try.
We know learning new skills and applying them before the art is mastered takes time and effort.
Why do we expect perfection from ourselves or others in our Christian faith walk?
I know people who have been miraculously delivered from some patterns of sin the instant they accepted Christ. Still, even those people have many things to overcome.
We seem to forget that our sin is forgiven at the moment of salvation (justification). We begin a journey of being made holy (the process of Sanctification) that won’t be finalized until we get to glory. None of it happens without the Holy Spirit at work in us, but we are called to cooperate with Him and grow.
Spiritual fruit doesn’t grow on trees. It develops in people following the Spirit’s lead in their lives. When we mess up, we go to the Lord in repentance and make amends (as far as possible) to the offended party. We learn from our mistakes and keep on striving.
The spiritual disciplines of Bible reading, prayer, meditation and so forth will take effort and work. It is worth the investment.
When you try to be more Christlike and fail, turn to him and move forward. Okay, you didn’t read your Bible yesterday as planned. Don’t give up. Start afresh today.
You caught yourself gossiping, or maybe you found yourself really angry at someone in the church. Perhaps there is a pattern of habitual sin you struggle with. Repent, ask the Lord for help and move forward.
We are all works in progress. That is one of the reasons we have the local assembly. It is filled with other imperfect but forgiven people on a similar journey, moving towards holiness together. We get to practice grace, mercy and forgiveness with one another. We get to learn to get along and love one another.
Have you failed along the way? That makes you pretty normal, but don’t give up; Christ is working in you.
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. Philippians 1:6
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10
We can’t make it on our own, but by holding fast to Him, we move on the journey to maturity and fruitfulness.
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing John 15:1-5
Each of us is a beautiful work being formed under the hand of the Master. Don’t give up; keep walking with Him because Jesus always delivers.
Hold fast, my friends, and abide in Him.
Be Blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
__________________________________________
Please like and share this post with friends and your circle of influence. Also, feel free to comment.
Did you know that we have an email version? Same great content but in a different format. Subscribe today https://mailchi.mp/f27bbeb09c22/ gleanings-1
_____________
______________________________
All contents, “Gleanings From The Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life,” are © 2001, 2023 KF “Kevin” Corbin Gleanings From The Word.
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is from the English Standard Version (ESV).
___________________________________________
#love #peace #hope #Gleanings #theWord #devotional #gospel #death #trinity #encouragement #Biblestudy #faith #dailyBible #verseoftheday #grace #KevinCorbin #god #life #Jesus #faith #holySpirit #YHWH #bible #christian #Christ #arts #drawing #sketching #trades #SpiritualDisciplines #abide #Philippians 1 #Ephesians2 #John15 #spiritualFruit #fruitOfTheSpirit #WIP