Daily Devotions
The Frustrating Result of Sanctification
Reading for February 21: Deuteronomy 1-2
Weekly reading for February 18-24: Romans 6-10
Title: The Frustrating Result of Sanctification
Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Romans 7:24-25
Ideally, the Christian life is a pathway that leads higher and higher to holiness. The Spirit of God transforms us gradually into the image of our Creator. However, as this takes place we do not necessarily feel better about ourselves. Though we are more holy, we actually feel less holy... AND THIS CAN BE FRUSTRATING!
Why is it that after years of progress we feel even worse about ourselves? The reason is that our good feelings about ourselves decrease as our knowledge of God increases. Our feelings about self and our knowledge of God are inversely proportional. As we see God more clearly, we also see ourselves more clearly. The more we know about God’s holiness, the more we know about our own unholiness. When we begin our spiritual journey toward holiness we might feel that if we could just overcome a few vices we would be holy, and yet as we make strides in holiness we feel more like a wretch than we ever have previously!
Do not be discouraged! If this has happened to you, this is evidence of progress. Drawing closer to God should make us more humble and self-aware. The glory of God should come into sharper focus as we mature in Christ Jesus. And we should confess with our brother: “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
Father, what manner of love you have bestowed on us that we should be called your children! Renew our hope that someday you will complete the transformation; that we will be just like you.
