Not Happy Where I Was

God, who has given them grace and a new heart, and a new nature, has deprived them of all excuse if they do not live for His praise. This is a point which is far too much forgotten. A man who professes to be a true Christian, while he sits still, content with a very low degree of sanctification (if indeed he has any at all), and coolly tells you he "can do nothing," is a very pitiable sight, and a very ignorant man. Against this delusion let us watch and be on our guard. The Word of God always addresses its precepts to believers as accountable and responsible beings. If the Saviour of sinners gives us renewing grace, and calls us by His Spirit, we may be sure that expects us to use our grace, and not to go to sleep. J.C. Ryle

Something I have realized in a marked way recently is that I'm never happy where I was as I experience sanctification. Neither am I happy when I am sitting still. I am most happy and filled with joy when I am moving forward. I used to regularly compromise my faith grievously by going out and drinking with friends in high school and during my first two years of college. Since then, the few times I have drifted back in that direction, I have been thoroughly miserable. Recently in a more subtle area of my life, I have sporadically dabbled in listening to secular music again to the point where my heart is distracted by it. Having countless times committed myself to greater purity in the music I listen to, each time I go back to the place where I was once quite content, I have found myself unsatisfied and hungry for music filled with the substance and fragrance of Christ.

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." 1 Peter 1:14-16

Isn't it always amazing how closely and perfectly the Holy Spirit uses scripture to touch our hearts and address our struggles? Peter is crying out to his Christian friends, Don't go back, even for a moment. Move forward. Take God's grace and his promises and move forward. Be holy as he is holy. And how spotless and pure that holiness is, I cannot imagine. I have been taking steps back recently and have found myself unsatisfied, unhappy, and without joy. J.C. Ryle points me in the right direction. If the Saviour of sinners gives us renewing grace, and calls us by His Spirit, we may be sure that expects us to use our grace, and not to go to sleep.

A song I listened to recently by Hillsong has been pointing me in this direction as well.

Let now the weak say I have strength
By the Spirit of power that raised Christ from the dead
And now the poor stand and confess
That my portion is Him and I'm more than blessed

You asked your Son to carry this
The heavy cross, our weight of sin
I give my life to honor this
The love of Christ, the Saviour King

This is my repsonse to what Christ did for me. I give my life to honor this. The love of Christ, the Saviour King.

He that supposes works are of no importance, because they cannot justify us, is a very ignorant Christian. Unless he opens his eyes, he will find to his cost that if he comes to the bar of God without some evidence of grace, he had better never have been born. J.C. Ryle

Let us take God's grace and run together with all our hearts. One day we will stand together before God's throne the workmanship of Christ, His Spirit, and His endless grace. Surely there will be no greater joy than on that day.