GOD HAS A DIFFICULT TASK

The day I went from being an atheist, to being a believer in Jesus Christ, I thought my whole life would change.  Having never read more than one chapter of the Book of Matthew, I still somehow knew the truth of the verse which says, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Cor. 5:17).  I expected life to be perfect!  I expected my attitude to be Christ-like.  I expected to be free of sin and immune to temptations.  I expected my marriage to instantly be healed.  I expected to be loved by everybody.  Unfortunately, none of those things happened.  Now, forty-three years later, I have given up expecting, and have finally begun accepting; I am not perfect, my wife is not perfect, my children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren are not perfect; nothing in this world is perfect!

And yet, "all things are become new!"  Not perfect, but definitely new.  For instance, whenever my attitude is out of harmony with that of Christ, I am aware of it.  The Apostle Paul told believers to "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 2:5).  If our attitude was instantly changed at our salvation, then why would Paul tell believers to begin thinking like Jesus? 

I expected to be pure and sinless, to be impervious to temptation, but if that were the case, why was the Perfect Man tempted (Mt. 4:1-10)?  Why did Paul struggle with temptations (Rom. 7:15-25)?  Why would God need to tell believers how to regain fellowship with Himself, if we could not break it through our sinful thoughts, words, and deeds (1 Jn. 1:8-10)? 

My wife and I have been married for fifty-two years.  It did not take very long for us to realize our mate was imperfect!  Reality set in almost immediately, and although I do not remember the circumstances of our first fight, I know my wife remembers it all too well!  She never forgets anything when it comes to our fights.  She can't remember to close drawers, cabinet doors, or turn off lights, but she remembers every detail when her husband disappointed her.  And it got worse after I was saved!  She, too, thought I would change!  We are both disappointed!

Now that I have read and studied the Bible, I understand what changed the moment I believed the Gospel:  a "Voice" within me now lets me know when I am out of harmony with both God and man!  The indwelling Holy Spirit has spent a great deal of time being grieved and quenched by me; I wish it were not so, but it is.  He convicts me, and because I am so hard-headed, He often has to chastise me in order to bring me to repentance.  And yet, there is something comforting in His "spankings" (Heb. 12:5-11)!

Yes, I constantly fail to think, speak, or act like Jesus would, but now, I am no longer surprised.  I realize that my salvation was a gift, and not earned (Eph. 2:8-9).  I understand that the process of becoming Christ-like is a life-long endeavor (Phil. 1:6; 1 Jn. 3:2; etc.).  I have accepted the fact that I, my wife, my kids, etc., are all "works in progress." 

 

Thank God, the One responsible for the outcome, will do it!