Are you striving to perfect your faith? I have news for you. That’s not your job. That’s the job for Jesus. He is the author and perfecter of faith, not you. Sure, there are still things for you to do: You are called to run with endurance and active persistence. Your task is to abide fully in Jesus, not to strive to perfect your faith on your own. You are called to focus on Jesus and let him deal with your faith and make it perfect. And even that is an on-going process, it does not happen over night.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who by faith have testified to the truth of God’s absolute faithfulness], stripping off every unnecessary weight and the sin which so easily and cleverly entangles us, let us run with endurance and active persistence the race that is set before us, ² [looking away from all that will distract us and] focusing our eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Perfecter of faith [the first incentive for our belief and the One who brings our faith to maturity], who for the joy [of accomplishing the goal] set before Him endured the cross, disregarding the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God [revealing His deity, His authority, and the completion of His work]. (Hebrews 12:1-2, AMP, emphasis added)

What should you do with this knowledge? Just two things.

1) Be liberated from working lawfully towards perfect faith on your own. Jesus is the author and perfecter of faith, not you. Bask instead in God’s love and rest in His powerful grace that is at work in you. The Holy Spirit is maturing your faith even as you read this.

2) Steer your focus intentionally on Jesus because he is the source of all the good things in your life. Don’t let anything hinder you from being in Christ. When you abide in Jesus, your faith is being perfected while you enjoy the company of Jesus.

Faith is not that difficult and we should not try to make it so. Faith is God’s gift to us. And it is God’s gracious gift to us to perfect it along the way. Our job is to stick close to Jesus and give him ample opportunity to work in us and through us.

 

Gracious God,
Thank you for Jesus.
Thank you for the gift of faith.
Thank you that it’s not up to us to perfect our faith.
Thank you that it’s all your work in us and through us.
And thank you for never abandoning us.
Enable us to focus on Jesus, not on us or our problems.
Empower us in your presence.
Equip us for your service.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen

Q4U: Would you rather be yourself the perfecter of faith or do you let Jesus be that for you?

Be blessed, my fellow pilgrim, as you let Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, work in and through you!

Image courtesy of Mari-Anna Stålnacke. Linking up with Unite the Bloggersphere and #tellhisstory.