Our Progress and Potential are Predetermined
For me, one of the hardest things about being a believer is being discouraged in my walk with God because of my imperfections. I want so much to be pure, holy, and Christlike. Yet I fail in so many little ways to measure up to His standard of perfection. Then I get in His word and He reminds me that our progress and potential are predetermined.
It's His job to mold me—and He's on the job!
...being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6
God will carry on His work in me and you because He is faithful—even when our faith falters. He will complete His work in us because it's His work, not ours, to complete. He began it, and He's not worrying about our imperfections as He works. He sees me and you as we will be. He has a crisp and clear picture of us at the end.
If you have older children, imagine watching a video of your child when he or she was only two or three. Imagine that within that video, your child throws the biggest temper tantrum known to man. When you watched that video, you wouldn’t be disappointed in your child. You might even snicker, being thankful that your child matured beyond that. You would be watching your child in the past with full knowledge of where your child is now.
That's something like how God sees us today. He is outside of time and sees us as we will be—fully mature and walking in His perfect love. He's not disappointed in you just as you wouldn't be disappointed in the antics of your child on a video years ago. You would be confident in how your child will turn out in the end. God doesn't hope we'll turn out okay. He has divine plans for completing the work in us. He will fulfill His purposes for us. (Psalm 138:8)
It's a waste of our mental energy to feel discouraged because we are not where we want to be. We should instead focus on the hope God holds before us that we will continually move from glory to glory. It is God alone who will
keep you from stumbling, and make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless and with great joy. Jude 1:24
Yep! That's our destiny! God sees the final product and doesn't fret over our progress. This is the day the Lord has made! Let us rejoice and be glad in it!
