The path of a successful Christian walk is one of daily commitment to Christ and submission to the leading of His Spirit. Jesus said, "If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me" Luke 9:23.
Paul understood this commitment when he said, "I die every day" 1 Corinthians 15:31. Our old nature died when our heart was transformed by the Spirit of God; yet, there remains an on-going death which occurs as we continue our walk and battle temptations from a world which seeks to pull us away from Christ.
Our daily commitment, denial, and "self-death" can become a painful burden if we focus on our present circumstances. Anytime our walk is characterized by self-pity, and our trials become viewed as the heavy cross we must bear for Jesus, we have missed the true joy and peace - the true success - that God desires for our life.
"If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men."1 Corinthians 15:19
If our hope in Christ is only for today's protection and blessings, then we have grossly underestimated the power of the gospel. This limited view of a Christian life will always fall short of our expectations. Through faith in Jesus, we have been given eternal life! This means the life we now live must be viewed on an eternal time scale.
When we place our faith in the sacrifice of Jesus for the forgiveness of sin, our life begins anew. But this means far more than a fresh start. In an instant, EVERYTHING has changed. The burdens that were once so heavy must now be weighed against the magnificent glory of Heaven. And our "never-ending" trials must now be timed on the clock of eternity.
The world screams at us to focus on the here and now, on immediate gratification from what we can see and feel. It tells us life is short so fill it with sensual pleasures and tangible possessions. God's Word agrees that our earthly life is short; "A mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" James 4:14. But it also teaches that our spiritual life continues forever! "What is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal" 2 Corinthians 4:18.
We have been given new eyes! Let's begin to view our life in the context of eternity and gain the greater hope and power this view can provide today. Let's carry our cross with greater joy, live with more peace and contentment, and experience new victories in life's many battles. Let's find true success as we evaluate all areas of our life from an eternal perspective.
- steve troxel
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