Sanctification

 

More gardening talk today! We planted the seeds for our fall vegetable garden last week. We hope that the seeds will grow and produce a crop before the first frost comes. Here in Texas we usually have some extra time before the weather turns cold.

 

I don’t know the process by which a seed is formed, how it germinates, or how it grows to be a productive plant. I can’t make it happen by my own power and it’s not my responsibility. My job is to nourish the seedling as it grows by providing all that it needs to flourish and eliminating anything that could harm it.

 

I talked last week about how we are set apart, or made holy, by God. When He sets us apart, we are holy. We are then called to live in a manner consistent with our set apart state – that is – we are called to become holy. This is the process of sanctification. I’ve seen it described as “…..learning to love what God loves and value what God values”  (www.cru.org – What Is Sanctification and How Does it Work).

 

We are told, “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do” (1 Peter 1:15). If you are like me, you’ve probably struggled with this at times, trying to make yourself better and to do better, getting frustrated because you don’t seem to be making progress.  It’s hard to let go, to remember that it’s God’s work through the Holy Spirit to sanctify us, and ours to be open to His working in us and to “nourish the seedling” so that it can grow. We make room for the Spirit, and for the fruit He provides, by reading and listening to God’s Word, being diligent in our prayer time, and through our acts of service. We are also called to, “Put to death….whatever belongs to your earthly nature” (Colossians 3:5) so that nothing hinders the growth God desires for us.

 

It can be hard to see that we are making progress. I once heard someone offer reassurance, saying that it’s like driving up Pikes Peak or another mountain. As you climb, you come back around to the same view, but you see it at a higher level. We may continue to deal with the same issues because Satan will never give up trying to derail our spiritual journey – in fact, the more useful we become, the harder he tries. As we grow spiritually, we should be able to see that we are in a better state. If not, we can call out to God as the source of our help.

 

May we continue to grow to be more like Jesus, our Savior and our example.

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The individual posts in this blog have been collected into a book, Reflections From the Basic Truths Blog.  It is available for free as an ebook through Barnes and Noble, https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/reflections-from-the-basic-truths-blog-james-yarmchuk/1147055811?ean=2940181202702, Apple Books, and multiple other book websites. It is available for a minimal charge on Amazon and can also be purchased as a paperback through them.