John Bradshaw - You Can't Microwave Your Spiritual Growth
I think it's normal for a person to get frustrated at their spiritual lack, their incompleteness. Their proclivity to fail as a Christian and fall into temptation. And part of that is right. You should desire spiritual growth, and falling should grieve a follower of Jesus. But we keep in mind: if you take a cake out of the oven halfway through the cooking process, it's not a good cake, it's on its way to being one, but a cake can't be the real thing until the process is completed.
A half finished painting is just that. Now the half that's done might be magnificent, but if Michelangelo had walked out on the ceiling of the Sistine chapel halfway through, tourists wouldn't now flock to see it from all around the world. Something isn't complete until it's completed. And a Christian is no different.
The moment you surrender your life to Jesus and accept him as your Lord and Savior, you have his righteousness and you are qualified for heaven. But that's the beginning, and every day you want to grow in your faith. Sanctification is the result of a life of obedience. Along the way they're going to be some battles with sin. Like a broken leg or arm or back can take a while to heal, a broken soul often shakes off its brokenness over time.
You can't microwave your spiritual growth, it takes time. So, grow! You may have to battle old tendencies, and bad habits, and certain predispositions for some time, maybe for the rest of your life, but you can do that in the strength that Jesus provides.
Paul wrote, "This is the will of God, even your sanctification". He wrote that in first Thessalonians chapter 4 and verse 3. Sanctification is God's will, there's absolutely no question about it. If it's your will, then there is no limit for you. I'm John Bradshaw, for it is written. Let's live today by every word.