beggars to kings

June 30, 2011

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. (Romans 8:29)

I was listening to a sermon on the car today that was on this passage. If we look at the original Greek of 'conformed', it can also be re-written as 'fashioned unto' or 'molded into'. The pastor spoke on how God is molding each and everyone of us into Christ-likeness, and how that is exactly like transforming us from beggars into kings. If a beggar were to be transformed into a king, he'd be subject to much training that would require discipline as well as endurance and patience: he can't eat however he likes (with his hands or whatnot), he has to learn to speak like a king, to dress like a king, to act like a king, etc. In the same way, our present life is what God is using to train us, mold us, and conform us to Christ-likeness for eternity. Our present struggles, trials, injustices, etc. are what God is using to mold us, discipline us into sons of God, into Christ-likeness, and though from the human eye and perspective, it is at times very painful and crushing, from heaven's perspective, it is a glorious endeavor to be partakers of.

I've been reflecting lately on the trials and hardships all of us encounter in life. As I read the Bible, observe the passionate and godly people around me, and listen and read about the lives of the saints of old, I am becoming more and more convinced that the hardships in life, the hurts and the pains are the very things needed to make us more Christlike, to stir within us that passion and fire for God that nothing can quench but Himself. The pastor was talking about how often when we are met with troubles, like a boss who mistreats us, friends who misunderstand and misjudge us, failed and hurtful relationships, etc. we often want to get out of it as quickly as we can. We change our jobs, we make other friends, we leave so that life can be better. But that is not the biblical response. Our culture has taught us to not withstand pressure, stress, and injustice, but to escape out of it, to demand our rights, and give people who hurt us payback. And so we see a huge difference between American Christians and China Christians. Honestly, it is a beautiful yet sad paradox: that Christians thrive and grow in love and passion for God under the most harsh circumstances, while the ones who are given too comfortable a life, too much 'freedom', are often the ones who are distracted most easily by the world and fall away the quickest.

I love this quote by AW Tozer:

"It is doubtful that God can use a man greatly until He hurts him deeply."

As I look at my own life, consider the things God has allowed me to live through, I feel the quote is very fitting and true. I've been prepping a Bible study on Jacob, and as I observe his life and consider the lives of Joseph, David, Daniel, Paul, etc., all these Bible heroes we admire, I notice that their lives are filled with injustice towards them, with pain, with suffering, with hardships, and yet, they steadfastly pursued after God, and great was their reward. I honestly don't think they would have had such an intimate relationship with God had God not allowed those hardships to befall upon them.

As I consider the past, present, and future trials and hardships I know will come, I want to learn to look at them with the right perspective. I don't want to see these things as just circumstances I'm waiting to get out of, like I'm waiting for the next best thing. I often see them as such, and I'm often praying just to get out of it and be all pain/trial/hardship free. But I want to learn to see these hardships, these trials, these pains as God's blessings and mercy in disguise, that these are the very 'fire' that is purifying my life to make it holy like Christ's. I want to be able to pray not that God will quickly take these things away, but that I will learn what it is He wants to teach me to transform me to be more Christ-like.

The pastor went on to say that in our transformation to Christlikeness, there isn't necessarily a list of 'can't and can's for us. It's not like once we become a Christian, we are suddenly subjected to a list of 'you shall not do this'. As Christians, we choose to not partake in certain activities, not because we're Christian, but because we love God. There is a huge difference indeed. I know of many godly people who choose to not partake in certain activities that aren't forbidden by the Bible, and their reasoning isn't that they are Christian, but simply that they love God. It is like how a husband can choose to not stay at work late because of his love for his wife, and not because it is a mandate from the wife. Or a child can choose to not do 'bad things', not because of fear of punishment, but because of love for parents. In the same way, out of love for our God who has given His son to pay our ransom, we at times choose to not partake in certain activities because we love God, because we want to cling to Him, and increasingly decrease our love and inclination to the things of this world.

I hope and pray that as I seek and pursue after God more, the world will become less and less attractive to me. I can still see many areas in my life where the world is still appealing, but I know that spiritual transformation is a journey, and I hope that as I grow and mature, as God transforms me into increasing Christ-likeness, these things will one day hold no such appeal at all.