For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work among you will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus.
What are some areas where you are skilled? Who taught you to do those things? Those people are formative in training us in something that we didn’t know before. They answered questions, devoted time, and taught us techniques to learn a skill. Even for a short season, a teacher’s work to equip with new skills can pay off in great dividends. Paul traveled and taught about Christ in many different places. He trained fellow Christians to follow Jesus and trust Him completely. But this growth was not limited only to the time Paul was present. God continued to work in the people long after Paul left.
Paul had taught, but it was God who brought the growth. God changed the people’s hearts when they were first saved, and He continued to work in their hearts by sanctification. God’s work is always changing us to look more like Him. If you became a Christian twenty years ago, that doesn’t mean God is finished working in and through you. Unlike a teacher who is only with us for a time, God is with us every moment of our lives and is ready to shape us and teach us to be more like Him for as long as we live. Seeking God to continue to grow and equip us is key to our Christian life and ministry effectiveness. In our own power, we can only help people for so long, with limited resources and limited effectiveness. But when we depend on God to shape others and us, He will bring about lasting change that goes beyond our moment of influence.
- What are some ways God is working on your heart right now? What are some things He is changing or developing in you?
- How does God’s work in your life effect the way you minister to others? When have you tried to minister to others in your own strength? What happened?
- Pray and ask God to work in your life and change you.
