Goals imply aspirations; resolutions imply determination. I’ve already concluded that determination doesn’t work. Aim is okay, as is strive and resolve, all NT words urging me to achieve wisdom, build up the church, be obedient, pursue peace and holiness, yet the connotation is in a different context than ‘resolutions’ — instead of working at all these things by determined resolve and in my own efforts, they can only be done in Christ. Jesus says:
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:4–5)
In other words, all my resolutions fail. However, Jesus also says that whatever is produced in the blessing of His spiritual power will abide forever. This is a head-scratching statement, yet the Bible backs it up. We can do His will because we are given His promises and His very nature:
May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. (2 Peter 1:2–4)
This is an incredible statement, a spiritual blessing that gives God’s people victory over sin because we share in God’s diving nature through faith in Jesus Christ. Therefore Ephesians 1:3 can say, “God . . . has blessed us with every spiritual blessing.”
Today’s devotional tells of a man finding his runaway son in rags begging for coins. With tears in his eyes and joy in his voice he embraces his son, crying, “A few shillings? You are my son—everything I have is yours!” This is what my heavenly Father says to me when I am struggling to take care of my own life. All He has is mine in Christ.
Ephesians 3 says that according to the riches of His glory, God grants me “to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in my hearts through faith—that I, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that I may be filled with all the fullness of God.”
I’m trying to let that sink in along with these words from today’s devotional: “As a Christian, you possess every spiritual resource you need to fulfill God’s will for your life. You need not pray for more love, for example, because His love is already poured out in your heart through the Holy Spirit. The same is true of joy, peace, strength, and every other resource you need. The key to spiritual progress and victory is learning to apply what you already have, not seeking more.”
Like the runaway son and like the prodigal in Jesus’ story, I already have all that I need in Christ. To pray for more is either ignorance of what I have, or an excuse or reason for not using it. God, forgive me for all failures to realize and use the resources I have in You. Instead of striving to have all I need, You call me to strive to use all that You have given me!
READ MORE: Romans 5:5, John 15, John 14:27, Philippians 4:13;19, Ephesians 1 and 3, 2 Peter 1.
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