For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Philippians 2:13
Since 2008, traveling through Washington, DC on the way to and from New Jersey has been a nightmare because that section of the highway is always under construction. According to the department of transportation, that section of I95 has been under construction since 1964. The people who are doing the repairs do not seem to be in a hurry at all. It seems as if they are moving as slowly as they possibly can for job security. However, there’s been progress. They have completed many bridges and increased the number of lanes on both sides of the highway.
The Christian life is like I95. It remains under construction from the moment we give our lives to Jesus Christ. God’s work in us has no time limit. He continues to shape us into His will and equip us for His kingdom work through His Holy Spirit. The construction work God is doing in believers can be frustrating at times, but it is necessary. We seldom think we need divine repair because our carnality can overwhelm our spiritual senses.
God is removing many potholes in our lives so we can fulfill His good purposes. At times, the Lord has to shut us down completely so He can do the spiritual repair we desperately need to be equipped for the work of ministry. Those repairs can include reshaping our desires so they can be aligned with His will. They can also include removing some people from our lives that were hurting, abusing, or leading us astray. As well as taking us out of some places that were stunting our spiritual growth.
If you’ve ever traveled on I95 between DC to Delaware during rush hour (4PM – 6PM) or on a Sunday during football season, you understand how congested the road can get because of the road construction. Surprisingly, though travelers are often cautioned to avoid that portion of I95 during rush hour, there always seems to be a major traffic jam on that portion of I95. Perhaps this is because people don’t listen to the traffic reports or assume they can avoid the congestion.
While God is repairing our lives, He cautions us to avoid lifestyle, decisions, and desires that can cause congestion in our lives and prevent delay in the much-needed spiritual work He plans to do in us. Yet many of us do not heed His divine warning as we rush through life in the pursuit of earthly success to the detriment of spiritual fruitfulness. We forget that it is God who works in us to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose.
The good news is we can be “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). Simply put, we will remain under construction until we transition to eternal glory. For God is preparing us to inherit His eternal kingdom. His goal is to transform us into the image of Christ with ever-increasing joy with comes from the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18).
I enjoy driving on newly completed or renovated roads. The tires seem to flow seamlessly on the newly paved road and the ride feels a lot smoother. In the same way, our lives may remain under construction until we transition to glory, but if we follow God’s instructions there will be visible improvements in our lives. In some cases, believers become friendlier, more courteous, and more justice-minded. Other believers have put away sinful practices or destructive lifestyles to pursue holiness.
It is to our benefit that our lives remain under divine construction. Because God is working in us, the devil may tempt us, but he cannot defeat us. God’s presence abides with those He is working to transform into the image of His Son. The fullness of His love will remain available to all who surrender their lives to be built according to God’s divine will.
Questions for Personal Reflection
What are the benefits of remaining under divine construction?
How do you deal with spiritual congestion while God is working in your life?
Prayer- Blessed Lord, I thank you for working in me to will and to act to fulfill your purpose for my life. Please help me to remain open to the work of your Holy Spirit in my life and to bear the fruits of righteousness in your name.
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