God's Work in Us

Day 31

¹³ For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. - Philippians 2:13

When I read this, what stood out to me in the verse was "to do what pleases him". It reminds me of Matthew 16:24, since that verse has been coming up in my mind lately. In Matthew 6, Christ tells his disciples to deny themselves and follow him. Our ultimate goal here on earth is to please God, and praise the Lord that he is working in us because we cannot do it just by ourselves. Just as the verse says, he gives us the desire and power to do so.

I believe his work in us is much needed, we as humans, surrounded by worldly desires and the pressure of society, easily cave in and conform to what we want or what the world wants. But as I reflect more and more about denying yourself, I realize it's so much more, and that it is a next level type of surrender. You are denying your entire self, your wants, your desires, your hopes, your dreams, your plans, your feelings, your identity, because that is all found in Christ. Nothing is ours, we are nothing to begin with. God wants us to crucify all selfish wants, so we can fully live for Him. I think that's the hardest thing to do. Maybe we find happiness in some of our selfish desires, but we are told that our joy comes from the Lord (Romans 15:13). Are you able to deny your entire self for the Lord?

This also is helping me come to realize what true faith really is. Faith is believing without seeing, unlike science in the world, where everything has to be proven, our faith in Christ is all based on ourselves. Are we able to believe something we cannot see, put our life and hope in something that we cannot touch, and ultimately, be able to deny our entire selves for all this? That calls for true leap of faith. I know im definitely still working on it. But back to Philippians 2, it is not just by ourselves, for God works in us and gives us that desire to please Him, that urge to follow Him.

My Prayer: Lord, thank you for loving me, choosing to work in my life. Father, I pray you will give me the power and will to bring you glory in my life. Help me crucify my wants and focus on what brings you praise and fame to your name. This life is not mine, but yours. Amen.