Strive for More

I have a crazy amount of school debt. I married someone with a crazy amount of debt. When we were married our school debt totaled about $130k! Yup, you read that right! When we bought a house, we were paying more to our student loans than our escrow payment. We do what we can to pay it down. We are now under $100k! Slowly, but surely.

 

Can you relate to the struggle? It’s real. It’s legit. We are not the only ones in this situation. We feel like giving up. We keep paying it down. We keep doing our part but the end goal is not fully accomplished. It is such a slow process and it feels endless.

 

At Wellspring Church one of our core values is endless growth. This is a twofold value. First, we value numbers. We believe in endless numerical growth. Why? Because unless you’re Jesus who knows everything, the amount of people who need the gospel is COUNTLESS! Our approach is to plant churches.

 

But this is also personal. I believe in endless personal growth. I have not yet arrived to glory, that is heaven. In heaven we will be PERFECT!!! We haven’t yet arrived. I strive for perfection here on earth, but it won’t happen until I die. My goal is to get a little bit closer each and every day. Therefore, I must never have the attitude that I have spiritually arrived. If I do, I am a fool. I am prideful. I am wrong. God still has work to do in me just like He does the next person. That ought to keep us all humble.

 

The Holy Spirit is the agent of change. He uses God’s Word in this process. As Jesus prayed for us the night of His arrest He said, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” (John 17:17). Truth is critically important. God’s word is foundational. Each day we ought to be striving to be more like Jesus. This won’t happen apart from God’s Word. The Word of God is used to convict us to be more like Jesus (Gal. 5).

 

I am not like Jesus. I want to be. I’m striving to be. 1 John 2:6 says, “whoever claims to live in Him must live as Jesus did.”

 

One day my financial debt will be erased. It feels like an eternity away, but it will eventually happen. Becoming like Jesus, as I understand my imperfections, seems insurmountable but I will one day reach glory. I’m thankful God has paid my ultimate debt via the death of His Son, Jesus.

 

What do you need to do today to be more like Jesus? Jesus asked us to teach others to obey all He commanded (Matt. 28). This is all recorded in His inspired word. What is your next step in obedience? What do you need to do to walk as Jesus walked?

 

Nothing coming to mind? Pray. Invite the Holy Spirit to show you what you need to do. I’m certain He will.

 

May we all, together, strive to be more like Jesus. It speaks volumes to an unbelieving world!

 

Written by Jason Coache, Lead Pastor of Wellspring Church

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