Anti cruise-control
Romans 5:3-4 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope.
I use the cruise-control on my truck whenever I can. I honestly have a “need for speed” and have the record at the DMV to prove my lack of ability to obey the suggested speed limits; I meant to say laws :-). Cruise control keeps me rolling along at a ho-hum pace without the focus, thrill, and many times “situations” that require undivided attention. Now I am not opening up for you to blast my lack of regard in so many ways, I am just being honest and using this analogy to ask you if you are on cruise-control as a Christian? Have you settled into the ho-hum lifestyle of religiosity that allows you to feel good about yourself as a Christian, just because you go to church and say a prayer or read your Bible sometimes? Think of how Jesus condemned the religious all through the gospels. Religion is a prideful self-made beast that will condemn if you believe in it is found the key to heaven through what you accomplish by it’s laws.
I would challenge you to find someone who has come through a low point in their lives, and them to not point you to their closeness to God during that time. Many times after He has delivered us to the other side of that trial of life, we crave the intimacy that we found with him during the tribulation he either allowed or designed. We crave not that pain, but we crave how that pain showed us a side of God that maybe we had not seen. We crave hearing from God in prayer, his Word, and encouragement from his saints and through God-orchestrated circumstances. We crave how close we saw and felt Him during that trial of life. That is this hope that is built into and strengthened that Paul writes of: Romans 5:1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Perseverance is a mountain that draws closer to God once step at a time. Perseverance is a character trait that God instills in the heart during sanctification that may come in big things or many times the repetitiveness of the minute. Perseverance is something that He instills in the heart that seeks to abide in him for the day. Perseverance is something that He instills in the heart that seeks to obey and remain in the center of his will for our life. We come to know that He is allowing whatever we may be facing, no matter how big or small; we must look at how we can draw closer to him through each day of our life. A life on cruise-control is never a life that experiences all that God has in store for them. Turn it off and focus on the road ahead with Him.
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