40 Days Blog - Day 20
Do you ever feel like you’re the only one who finds the Christian life hard? You look around at others in church and assume they have it all together and you’re the only one with doubts, struggles and worries. It’s as if everyone else is sprinting while you’re barely holding on! But the truth is we all face ups and downs along the faith journey.
Paul often describes the Christian life as a race, not a walk in the park. In
Hebrews 12:1 he says we are to run with perseverance. Perseverance is only needed when things are hard: when the legs ache, doubts creep in and finishing feels uncertain. This is not a Sunday afternoon stroll, it’s a demanding race that requires all that you’ve got. In the Psalms in particular, we read the honest cries of pain, doubt and longing.
It appears that the church at Philippi was not finding the race easy and needed Paul’s encouragement as they, too, were ordinary people with insecurities, flaws, and pressures. The Christian life has never been described in the Bible as a straight-forward, flat road of easy blessing. That’s why we need God’s Word, God’s Spirit, and God’s people to keep us moving forward.
In Philippians 2, Paul steps in like a kerb-side coach, shouting encouragement: Keep going, live out your faith as God is with you. It’s as if he is shouting out two key coaching encouragements…..
First: Work it out
Paul says, “Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” This doesn’t mean earning salvation (the Bible is clear that salvation begins with justification—being made right with God through Jesus, a one-off act of grace). In this text Paul is talking about sanctification, the lifelong process of being changed to become more like Jesus. That process involves effort, self-reflection and listening to God. It’s about learning to put your faith into practice: at work, at home and in relationships. Like bread-making, the ingredients are already provided, but they must be mixed, shaped, and worked through.
Paul also gives a tough instruction: do everything without grumbling or complaining - that alone can feel like a workout for the soul.
Second: God works in you
Here’s the encouragement—you are not alone, “
for it is God who works in you.” God supplies the strength, the desire, and the power to keep going. It’s a bit like a pedal boat with two sets of pedals: God moves and you have a part to play.
As you work out what God is working in, something beautiful happens. You begin to shine like a star in the sky! You will grow in compassion, sacrifice, and authenticity.
A Prayer
Lord please help me to continue on the Christian path though the road may be hard and marked with suffering. In my weakness make me strong in You so that my faith might be worked in and worked out so that I may shine for You.
Amen.
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