HAVE FAITH. EXPECT MIRACLES!
Be not afraid, only believe. Matthew 5:36

Monday, January 4, 2010

Taking the Measure of Our Progress

Today I read this article by Wallace Goddard (Dr. Wally) on his website called "A Few Ways to Assess Our Spiritual Progress." 

It really moved me.  Some of the things that touched me were these comments:

The closer we get to God, the more we focus on His glory rather than our own progress. Any radiance from us is truly reflected light.

The more we experience God, the more we know that He consecrates even our afflictions for our gain. We are less afraid of trials and more grateful for blessings. We know that our lives are presided over by a perfectly loving and perfectly wise Father. While seeing His goodness in everything may be more difficult for those of us who think we should exercise significant control in our lives, or have trouble trusting, even we can learn to relax in His gracious arms.

It is always cause for celebration when we discover that God is patiently teaching and guiding us.

 7. We rejoice. Several times every week, God traverses eternity to put His strong arms around me and lift me off the ground. I am dumbfounded when He does it. I join Ammon in words of wonder: “Who could have supposed that our God would have been so merciful as to have snatched us from our awful, sinful, and polluted state?” (Alma 26:17). Sometimes it is the words of a hymn that jar me with joy. Sometimes it is a harmonious truth that leaps out of scripture. Sometimes it is quite inexplicable; God just gives a random hug. Oh! How grateful I am!

It is the flourishes of the Spirit that testify that we are on the path toward God.

As I think about our halting progress, I think of our dear little grandson Will. When he took his first faltering steps, we whooped and hollered. We acted as if all creation should celebrate!   I wonder if loved ones on the other side of the veil do the same thing every time we pass another spiritual milestone. We finally learn to trust God with some corner of our minds, hearts, and lives and joy busts loose in Eternity! We learn to hear the voice of God and angels sing praises.  Truly, those that be with us are more than we can comprehend (See Elisha in 2 Kings 6:16).

Thanks Dr. Wally!

No comments:

Post a Comment