The Spirit of Striving

  Sometimes it seems as if we're in a constant state of stress and strain in our lives. The meaning of the word strive is, "to struggle in opposition...to contend with serious effort or energy." There is a healthy virtue of hard work and commitment to goals, dreams and vision for our lives. But there is also an unhealthy 'Spirit of Striving' that manifests when we refuse to accept God's gift of grace in our lives. There are some things in life that need to be accepted as gift and not earned through sweat and self effort.

 You can earn money and achieve much in life simply through self effort and discipline. A focused commitment to specific objectives and goals will certainly pay off over time....usually. But there are some areas in life where no amount of self effort can change the outcome. One area in life that beguiles and frustrates is the quality of our relationships.  We were created by God to love and be loved but we often struggle in our relationships.  Sometimes the more we 'strive' the more we falter. Why can't we just 'work harder' and achieve the results we desire?

 Something happened in human history that alters how we relate to one another. The book of Genesis reveals to us that humanity has been broken on the inside. We are born self centered and sinful. Until and unless we are 'born again' and renewed by the Holy Spirit we continue to live 'soul centered' lives bent on getting what we want through self effort with our own self interest at the forefront. What we really want and need eludes us because we aren't living in the 'rest' which is a gift from God.  For the Christian who depends on God for new life in Jesus Christ there is a certainty of love and forgiveness.  Instead of trying to 'earn' love and grace...we receive it as a 'done deal'  through the life, death and resurrection of our loving Lord.

  Grace wasn't meant to be a word that we invoke as a 'ticket' out of trouble and judgment. Grace was meant to be an invitation to relationship and life.  Man made religion is a creation based on self effort to earn God's favor and blessing....it doesn't work. In fact religion creates distance and dissonance in our relating to God. Instead of being able to come 'face to face' in intimacy with God, we wear masks of 'works' and outward goodness to cover our inner brokenness. No amount of moral self effort can cover up the hateful attitudes of pride and arrogance that often issue from the religious world. You can almost feel the strain and striving the minute you come into the presence of a person controlled by 'religion'.

  When someone embraces forgiveness based upon the finished work of God in Christ, they cease from straining and striving to please God on their own. They make a decision that what God has done is enough. The words of Jesus from the cross echo throughout history as a completed fact, "It is finished." Jesus the sinless one took on himself all our sin and brokenness and through the power of the resurrection gives us victory over the Spirit of Striving ..... the Spirit of Death that permeates our world. Ironically when we accept that marvelous gift of grace we are free to begin to live in the power of that amazing grace and love. There is a pure religion that responds with a willingness to love not for wages but for gratitude.  The New Testament letter of James, "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep onself unspotted from the world." Man made religion is a 'cover up' of the broken self that leaves us striving and straining to become someone we can never be in our own strength.  Grace leaves us with an inner rest that gladly and humbly receives a complete new source of life and strength. The God of the universe by his Spirit comes in and replaces the Spirit of Striving with a Spirit of Holiness and Love.

  Are you tired of the strain? That inner anxiety and uncertainty that weigh down your mind and soul don't need to burden you any longer. Even in our striving for good things we often falter and fade into more pain and suffering. Today I encourage you to embrace the rest of grace. There is a place of rest for those who will truly acknowledge the great and marvelous finished work of salvation in Jesus Christ. The world of the Lord to you today is, "Be still and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10)
In case you haven't noticed.... you are not God..... so stop trying to control everyone.....including yourself. Freedom begins when we yield ourselves to a very good God. He loves you... he's prepared a place of rest for you to begin your life anew.

Jim