THE MEASURE OF A MAN...

In his letter to the Hebrews, Paul wrote: "In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.". As disciples of Christ, our continuous quest should be the increasing transformation of our attitudes, characters, values and actions into the image of our Master and Lord. Salvation from sin was meant to inaugurate our entrance into the faith marathon of life, not as a laurel to be rested upon as if no further commitment was necessary. Christ is after Christ likeness in the hearts of His people. How do I as a believer embrace an accurate view of myself with regards to my spiritual maturity, and the health and genuineness of my faith. It's entirely possible, and even probable, that I can determine the substance of my faith by the size of the challenge, temptation or trial that overwhelms it. The pressures I cave into, are indications of the level to which my growth in Jesus has progressed.

If this is true, and I suspect that it is at least largely so, then it casts a serious indictment on the caliber of discipleship that I have allowed myself so often to become content with. I imagine there are numerous believers that are in a similar place. When I consider the pettiness and relative insignificance of some of the "trials" and "sufferings" that I allow myself to become angered, discouraged or disheartened over, I become overwhelmingly convinced of my need for a Savior. I become aware of the undeniable fact that I was never, ever going to muster up the moral fortitude to pull myself up by my own boot straps and become a better, nobler man. I was, am, and always will be, utterly dependent on the life transforming power and influence of the all powerful Spirit of the living God. And yet in the midst of my frailty, the tender mercy of the Father invites me to cast my cares upon Him, no matter how heavy or light the load...because He cares for me. What a wonderful thing. May He train my fingers for battle and my hands for war (Psalm 144:1). May he teach me how to surrender to his will...how to master the sin that crouches at my door. The sin that ever desires to slay me.