Sometimes, But Not Always
“Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23–24)
We live in the middle of the world’s most important incomplete process—sanctification.
The battle with sin and temptation still goes on. The war for what will effectively and functionally rule our hearts still rages. We are not yet even near being blameless in and of ourselves.
No, the reality is that between the “already” and the “not yet” of God’s transforming process, we are all a bit of a mess. We still fall into temptation. We still give way to wrong thoughts and desires. We still say things that we should never say. We still behave in ways that expose the sin that is still in our hearts.
None of us is yet what grace makes possible for us to be.
Sometimes I love you
filled with thanks
remembering rescue
mercies undeserved
resting in your love
submitting to your will.
Sometimes I forget you
focused on my plan for me
envying what others have
demanding, entitled
finding your will burdensome
wrestling in discontent.
Sometimes I am your instrument
giving the grace you gave
sharing your faithful love
serving and giving
willing to confess
committed to forgive.
Sometimes people tire me
wishing they were out of my way
irritated by their weakness
quickly judging their sin
more impatient than forgiving
wanting to be left alone.
Sometimes your truth fills my heart
never too full of your Word
captured in vertical meditation
walking the halls of your revelation
with a thankful heart
wanting to know and grow.
Sometimes your Word seems heavy
distant from where I am
reading a duty more than a blessing
prayer a burden
eyes closed, mind wandering
heart cold, unsettled.
Sometimes Sunday is a celebration
love to gather with your people
worship gripping the heart
fellowship warming my soul
instruction giving life
thankful to be included.
Sometimes Sunday is a dread
wondering why I’m here
not ready to open my heart
in my regular seat
hoping to be avoided
waiting for it all to end.
This is my unfaithful journey
not always moving toward your light
my righteousness falling short
my unholy holiness
hot, cold, lukewarm
struggling to always follow.
Thus my only hope
not what I offer you
but what you have generously given me
the consistency of your grace
faithful in tender mercy
I have nothing but you.
You don’t look on me with disgust
you don’t see me with regret
you cover me with righteousness
your patience is infinite
you will not abandon what you’ve begun
I am safe with you.
Please hold me near
illumine the eyes of my soul
pour life into my heart
empower the Spirit within.
Carried in your faithful arms
guide me to my eternal home.
There is simply no way our personal security can be found in ourselves. Peace is not found in the degree of our faithfulness to God, but in the utterly unshakable nature of his faithfulness to the commitment of grace he has made to us.
Sanctification is not a burden to bear but a good gift to celebrate. Yes, we experience difficulties and sacrifices along the way, but in the process, unwholesome and dangerous things die, and good and wonderful things live. Along the way, love for the world weakens and love for our Lord grows.
With each step of growth, idols tumble and true worship of God gains control. With every turn of the road, the allegiance of our hearts shifts a little more toward our Redeemer and his kingdom.
And as we travel, we stop looking back at where we came from, and we fix our eyes longingly on our eternal home.
A Prayer for Today: God, help me to eliminate the desire to find personal security in myself. Help me to find peace not in my strength of commitment to you, but in your perfect and unshakable commitment to me. By your grace, I have been welcomed into a relationship with you, now help me to understand that it’s by grace that I walk in you. Would you help me grow by the power of your Spirit, and fix my eyes as I take step after step toward intimacy with you? In Jesus’ name, amen.
God bless,
Paul Tripp
Discussion Prompt for Children
• Since we all have good days and bad days when it comes to honoring God with our lives, how do you think the Lord feels about you when you have a bad day? How about when you have a good day? Why might your two answers be different from one another?
• Why do you think it’s so important to remind ourselves that if we are in Christ, God will never leave us or stop loving us?
• Why do you think our faith should always be in God’s love for us instead of our love for him?
Reflection Questions
1. On a day-to-day basis at street level, where would you say you find your personal security? In what ways has God worked in your life to turn your hope toward him instead of the God-substitutes we all have a tendency to run to?
2. How often would you say that you are driven by what has happened in your past? How has that been hard for you? In what ways has the past specifically influenced the way you relate to God and engage in your relationship with him?
3. In what ways have you fallen victim to the belief that your hope must be in what you have to offer God? Why will this always be shaky ground to stand on?
4. Why does your personal sanctification depend on God’s generous grace? In what ways have you treated your sanctification as if it all depends on you? What do you think it practically looks like to depend on God for your personal sanctification?
5. How do you think God sees you? What is his opinion of you? What has shaped your perspective on this?