Do Not Forget the Finishing Touches

Over the past months we have done a couple of minor remodel projects in our home. We set up some new video/bookshelves and then we brought a refrigerator/freezer in from our garage (where items in the refrigerator were freezing from the outdoor temperatures) and put it in our laundry room. Both of these projects required some building and modification of existing shelving and storage. It also required moving some items to other areas of the home or garage for storage. The end result of these projects has benefited our family in several ways. We now have easy access to often used items.

The last of these projects was finished a few weeks ago. As I look around my den today I still see some remnants of this remodeling time. There are a few tools sitting on the hearth of our fireplace. There are also some items on the desk that have never been properly put into their new storage space. These last few details still require our attention.

Along the path of our walk with God we will encounter many projects. Often the projects will be in the building of our own character. Like these home improvement projects, there may be some cutting here and moving there. Things that have long been a part of our lives may need to be shifted or taken completely out. The work may be labor-intensive and require repeated Scripture, trials and conversations with the Lord. Or it may be a simple one day job in which a single conversation of the Lord helps us to make the adjustments necessary to be useful to Him.

Throughout Scripture we find many teachings on growing into maturity. We do not want to stop short of the completed work.

The apostle Paul teaches on this topic. “Him we preach and proclaim, warning and admonishing everyone and instructing everyone in all wisdom (comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God), that we may present every person mature (full-grown, fully initiated, complete, and perfect) in Christ (the Anointed One).” (Colossians 1:28 AMP) This is a process that will not be completed in a brief amount of time.

 There are nine fruit of the spirit. “But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [that can bring a charge].” Galatians 5:22-23 (AMP) Sometimes we may wish we could work on six or seven and leave two or three of them to wait a while longer. However we are instructed to allow the Holy Spirit develop all of these in our lives.

In his second letter to the churches, Peter gave a list of instructions for spiritual growth. “For this very reason, adding your diligence [to the divine promises], employ every effort in exercising your faith to develop virtue (excellence, resolution, Christian energy), and in [exercising] virtue [develop] knowledge (intelligence), And in [exercising] knowledge [develop] self-control, and in [exercising] self-control [develop] steadfastness (patience, endurance), and in [exercising] steadfastness [develop] godliness (piety), And in [exercising] godliness [develop] brotherly affection, and in [exercising] brotherly affection [develop] Christian love.” (2 Peter 1:5-7 AMP) It may be tempting to stop somewhere along that list and consider ourselves mature enough. Yet the Lord wishes us to grow completely and fully into that perfect Christian love.

So we must remember that God wants to do a complete work in us. He is not content to leave things partially done. “The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy and loving-kindness, O Lord, endure forever—forsake not the works of Your own hands.” (Psalm 138:8 AMP) We must persevere and allow the Lord to finish the work He has started in us. “And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you.” (Philippians 1:6 AMP)

 If you have been tempted to settle for the work that God has already done in your life, please reconsider. Allow Him to place His finishing touches on your beautiful new life.