Being a Christian is about constant progress towards perfection.

When we say that we are Christians, we must understand what the word means biblically, not culturally. The word is only used three times, but tells quite a story.

1 Peter 4:12-17 tells us that we are to live as Christ lived. My paraphrase, “Don’t be ashamed of suffering as a Christian. Instead, give thanks to the Father because you’re in good company! Jesus suffered too.”

In last week’s entry, Rejoice in the Small Victories, we talked about becoming more like Jesus. We are to let the Spirit change our lives with each small step/victory at a time, which allows others to see Jesus in both our actions and our words.

This process, however, will not always go over well with others. Acts 11:26 reveals that believers in Jesus were called Christians. They didn’t give this name to themselves. It was a backhanded compliment by those who saw Jesus in them. “Oh, you’re just a Jesus follower.” Yup. I am. Thank you very much.

King Herod took it to another level. He used it in contempt of what Paul was sharing with him. “You want me to become a Christian. You’ve got to be kidding!” (Acts 26:28) No, Herod, Jesus is the King of Kings and you need Him, not the other way around.

Becoming like Jesus will neither be easy nor popular, especially as it gets progressively harder to be a biblical Christian in the West. It’s already hard in Africa, the Middle East, and East (https://erlc.com/resource-library/articles/the-top-countries-facing-christian-persecution/).

Becoming like Jesus will produce, however, a hope beyond measure about today and the future (read Rom. 5:3-5). Therefore, keep taking those small steps of victory. You’re in good company – fellow Christians who are taking those same small steps and Jesus who suffered for…well, being Jesus.

Even the smallest seed of faith is rewarded.

A few weeks back, I wrote in Uncomfortable Peace about the between zone. It’s the place in time where you exist between when the Father begins and ends the process of conforming you into the image His Son in a particular area.

I mentioned that being in this zone is difficult for me. I want to be like Jesus now, not some indefinite time in the future. I pray for the miracle of instantaneous change, but the reality is that Jesus uses the day-to-day process of choosing Him in my life.

What am I to do while being in the between zone? Learn to appreciate how difficult it was for Jesus to stay holy throughout His entire life. I need to rejoice in the fact that He made the right choice each and every time, in all areas of His life simultaneously. Without it, He couldn’t die for your or my sin.

Therefore, while in the process of change, rejoice. He is changing you one small victory after another small victory. Again, He says rejoice.

Before, you’d just sin. Now, you start catching yourself. Victory. You sense your triggers being pulled to think and act in a sinful way. Victory. The old mindset/behavior creeps to the surface and you ask yourself, “Why am I doing what I’m doing?” Victory.

Now, you stop to ask the Holy Spirit to empower you before heading down that sinful path you were about to go (could be thoughts, words or actions). Victory. Next, you catch yourself asking for His help to reset your thinking by focusing on the truth He wants to implement into your life. Victory. And finally, you discover yourself asking for the faith to act on that truth. Life change. Victory.

Each victory is a small step in the process of a changed life. Yes, they are small victories, but victories none-the-less. Rejoice in those small victories.

As you keep achieving small victories, you’ll move further down the path to becoming like Jesus tomorrow; so, rejoice today!

Yes, it’s okay to be okay while becoming okay. You are taking steps in the right direction. You are experiencing the Spirit make you more like Jesus, the ultimate victory. Therefore, rejoice in the Lord, today.

God has unlimited ways to draw us closer to Himself.

Running on empty is an oxymoron. I mean, when you run out of gas, your car stops. It’s not a mystical thing, but a law of physics. Yet, what the Spirit had Habakkuk write defies physics!

“Though the fig tree does not bud, and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls…” (Hab. 3:17).

In each case, there was nothing to eat or to use that could meet their basics needs both now and in the future. All their physical efforts to meet their obligations had not only failed today, but left them with nothing to work with for tomorrow as well.

This person had nothing left in the tank. They simply couldn’t make another decision, let alone gather the energy to move forward on any plan. Guess what? The Lord had them right where He wanted them.

Habakkuk continues, “…yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign LORD is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; He enables me to go on the heights” (Hab. 3:18-19).

Faith in Jesus is the mystical part of life. Despite what I see, what I feel, or what I think, He can supply the fuel to keep going, which goes beyond physics. How? I don’t know! That’s why it’s called faith.

Yet, we are told to rejoice in the Father, our Savior. Why? He is the One who can defy the laws of nature like He did with Elijah (birds brought him meat) or the law of physics like He did with the widow (jars of flour and oil were miraculously refilled each day).

We, however, get used to meeting our own needs (working harder) or filling our own tank (drugs of choice) that we don’t need Him. Really? He is God, not us. He alone can defy logic or go against feeling when the situation looks or feels hopeless.

There are so many examples in Scripture where the Lord used these types of hopeless or empty tank situations to draw His people closer to Himself.

Faith is not the issue either! Faith in whom is. This time of introspection (see last week’s blog entry) has again shown me that, in reality, I have more faith in myself, than in Him. And right now, honestly, He’s got me running on empty so I can learn to love Him more.

By focusing on what He has done in the past and can do in the future, should put a smile on my face because of the joy He can bring to my current situation.

If you are like me, let’s learn to rejoice in and focus on Him. He can give us the fuel to not only not stumble today; but to see life from His perspective – the joy of what He alone can do tomorrow, as well.

When you look into your mind, don’t go alone.

With my mom’s progress toward her homegoing with Jesus, which occurred this past Monday, I’ve been in a time of introspection.

It has been an interesting journey to say the least. I’ve learned quite a bit about myself. I certainly didn’t want to go where He took me where I had tears roll down my cheeks, a lump in my throat, anger at myself and well, I’ll leave names out, forgiveness doled out.

I’ve had to be careful during this time, though. The Father reminded that the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness, which was, above all, quiet. Jesus didn’t have a smart phone with ear buds to listen to a playlist or a podcast! Nope, He was alone with His thoughts…and the Spirit.

Keep in mind, this was a Father chosen time for Jesus as a man. Would He walk the journey the Father had for Him, no matter what life and/or the enemy threw at Him? And boy, did Jesus encounter some doozies!

If your Father is calling you into a time of introspection, here are few suggestions. One, make sure the Spirit is leading you. This is a time over and above your daily walk conversations. This will be about a specific purpose He wants to accomplish in your life.

Two, listen to and be okay with being alone with Him. He will accomplish His purpose as we participate with Him.

Three, keep your biblical filter operating! Jesus literally heard voices! We don’t know if Satan actually made an appearance, but he sure did speak. You might hear voices as well.

Yet, the Spirit is truth and can only speak truth, even when we don’t want to hear it. So, be ready to filter out any voice/thought that is not His in order to hear what He’s saying to you. He knows the thoughts/old wiring in our brains that need to be removed to make us more like Jesus. Thus, don’t shy away from the tears, lumps and anger that may come.

Lastly, don’t be afraid of where He may take you – no matter how recent or far back that may be. Nothing can be off limits. He wants you closer to Him, and knowledge alone can’t do it. It’s a choice for life, His life in you.

Introspection is a process the Father uses in the Spirit’s power to draw us closer to Himself. May you enter it willingly and exit it victoriously. Jesus did and so can you.

It’s okay not to be okay, it’s not okay to stay that way.

I recently read about a study done in the late 1990’s that stated the human brain will continue to grow until the age of 25, after which, it would be a long downhill slide until death.

Scripture, however, disagrees. It states that we are transformed by the renewing of our minds and says nothing about age (Romans 12:2). Life transformation starts in the brain when truth exposes the lies/false thinking stored in it and then is replaced and acted on using the truth. You can read about this process in the book, More Than a Sunday Faith.

New studies have now caught up with Scripture. In scientific terms, you are throwing away old neurons (“taking very thought captive”) and replacing them with new ones (“to make it obedient to Christ”). It’s called neuroplasticity. You can literally change your brain!

Yet, there also exits what I call the between zone: it is the time between the old thoughts being replaced with the new truth-based ones (your old thoughts/flesh battle with the Spirit – Gal. 5:16-18), which means failure can still take place.

I struggle greatly with this zone. I want out of it! I want to be like Jesus now because I don’t want to mess up anymore as I hate feeling like a failure. It’s hard to be okay in the midst of becoming okay!

A good friend once said, “Don’t you think the Father knows this? I mean, His Word tells us that this process won’t be completed until we see Jesus face to face. Until then, He’s factored our failures into His plan. It’s called redemption.”

If I don’t let this truth sink into my brain, my leg will continue to bounce and my frustration will be seen all over my face. Yet, where’s the joy? It’s okay to not be okay as He’s changing me.

I am already at peace with the Father through the peace offering Jesus made on the cross. He knows my heart to be like Him. So, I must let Him do what only He can do…change me.

No, we don’t want the old thinking to hang around. Until that transformation takes place, however, it’s okay to be at peace in the midst of the uncomfortableness. Relax. He’s working in and will continue to work through you despite you. Why? It’s all about Him.