The past is filled with missed opportunities, avoided events and misstatements, allowing the grace of God under-utilization of this available vessel.  Some caused by personal resistance, most by diffracted focus, but the true motivator was lack of resemblance in Christ.  This world does not control my life with Christ.  I have been filled by the Holy Spirit of God, what then may stand against my dedicated efforts toward both spreading the Gospel Message or care for the sick, fatherless, widowed or poor.  Only my self, only me.  If there are no miracles happening, no break through moments, no private visions from God, must I then stand still in my walk through Grace expecting that my work is done?  The sole cause of my misspent moments is lack of growth in the facets of Spirit.  My future successes may be directly attributed to my willingness to be more like Him.  It is essential that I become “more” gentle, more patient, more loving, kind, righteous and long suffering.  Remaining on previous plateaus, with the same skills, experiences and wisdom of previous reproof will not properly prepare me to overcome the increasingly difficult obstacles awaiting me in future discipleship.

Growing in Christ requires a mode of endurance elusive to the lightly dedicated.  Those who have not fully surrendered to God will invariably run from the perfecting fires of worldly experience.  Intentionality leads to passionate plea for greater access and appropriate use of the fruits upon which each of our victories depend.  Apathy, fear, complacency, insufficient motivation, repetitive sinning and paralysis are the true daily enemies of saints.  Powers and principalities must be given permission to penetrate God’s defensive hedge, but our own internal nullification’s are free to assail us day and night.  If I continue making the same mistake again and again without adaptive employment of the Holy Spirit’s filling then shouldn’t I accept my own accountability to repeated failure.

People matter, and if I continue to treat them in an un-Godly fashion, how then will they see God in my behaviors?  My willingness to remain fleshly, inhibits and resists Spirit’s work, that is the joy of free choice.  Even the saved may determine to shut off, discount or ignore Spirit’s leading.  Will God simply leave us there in an unfinished state?  Certainly not, for we were bought at tremendous price, but the heat with which He must make further modifications shall logically increase.  So, if I keep making the same mistake with my wife, being insensitive to her wonderful and beautiful creation, then the cost of my continued lack of kindness must certainly be increased.  I must want to become more like Christ to assist in my own sanctification.  God may not provide me some earth shattering purpose for humanity but truth be told we are all called to become more and more like Him.  I am called higher to produce more bountiful fruits for Christ.  Just as a tree must expand in height and girth to sustain the weight of greater blossom, I must expand in my resemblance to Christ to support the evidenciary fruits of His labor in my life.