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Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God, as we have taught you. You live this way already, and we encourage you to do so even more. For you remember what we taught you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. God’s will is for you to be holy (1 Thessalonians 4:1-3a, NLT).
Becoming holy (taking on the nature of Jesus) can be the most fulfilling and the most frustrating experience of our Christian walk. We want to be like God; we want to do this, we need to stop that, yet we stumble, get mad, blame others, and sometimes blame God. Thus, the ways of sanctification (another word for becoming holy).
This week I was with a group of men reviewing Session One in First Steps Conversations. In the course of our discussion, Pastor Rick Ives said, “As I’ve discipled others through the years, those that I’ve discipled have often said that the ‘Up and Down diagram’ in the first session (chapter one) of First Steps has visually given them the best understanding of growing in Christ.”
The diagram:
Explanation of the diagram:
You first come to know Jesus, and it’s a high point (A), but as the emotion of that encounter wears off, you feel discouraged (B). Then you see Jesus acting in and through you and your enthusiasm returns (C), only to be followed by a disappointment of some kind (D). Then … you get the picture.
It’s a picture of a growing friendship with Jesus, of the ups and downs experienced with Him as your trust in Him grows stronger. We’re emotionally volatile creatures — we have up days and down days.
It’s normal, and the transformation Jesus is doing in us takes time. That’s why it’s important to base your friendship with Jesus on your will and not your emotions. To fuel your friendship with confident trust, not your “read” on your circumstances. If you’ll stay faithful to Jesus during the dips in life, you’ll emerge victorious. Your joy will return, and your trust will grow as a result.
Point D
Look at the diagram and notice that while there are up and down days, the overall direction is up. Also note that the last low point (D) on the diagram is higher than the high point at the beginning (A). As you grow in Christ, your low points will be higher than your high points when you first began following Jesus.
The process of holiness is up and down, not a straight line up, and it’s the dips and valleys where the inadequacies of our faith (our needed growth areas) are revealed. If we stay faithful during those moments of trial and frustration, our holiness will grow, yielding the fruit of abundant joy!
Check out First Steps Conversations…
