longing transforms obedience.

I spend time every Sunday afternoon talking about the Bible with a handful of sixth grade girls.  It's been really helpful and challenging to think through how to present hard concepts in a way that will make sense to the girls without watering things down.  Every week the Lord's been exposing my own lack of understanding in the things I'm preparing to share with them, using it to instruct my heart as well.

A few weeks ago, the topic was sanctification.  The most helpful definition I found was Wayne Grudem's: Sanctification is a progressive work of God and man that makes us more and more free from sin and like Christ in our actual lives.

In other words, believers play an active role in the sanctification process.  Though the cross was a free work of grace on our behalf, and salvation comes about when the Spirit draws us (because we cannot see the loveliness or necessity of the cross unless he opens our eyes to it), sanctification is a progressive work of God and man.    We see this in verses like Philippians 2:12-13, "...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure,"  or Romans 8:13, "...if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live."

Of course, putting our sinful deeds to death is only possible because the Holy Spirit dwells within us, but there is still an element of responsibility-- of activity-- there that is undeniable.

I've been thinking about this a lot lately.  In myself I still see so much unfaithfulness and disobedience to God, starting with a daily struggle to spend time with Him.  I've sought better systems of time management, tried harder to value the things of God over shallow distractions, and still come up hopelessly short.  So I often throw out the discipline and decide just to wait around for things to be different-- to want to want Him more.  As if not pursuing God will somehow lead to loving him more.  It's a good thing God is so gracious, because my thoughts are pretty foolish A LOT of the time.

Here's what he's been reminding me: though actively fighting for sanctification is difficult, and though I will struggle against fleshly desires until the day that I die, God is so unbelievably good.  He has designed you and I for union with Himself.  And when we do pursue faithful obedience to Him, He changes our desires-- "longing transforms obedience" (C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory)-- so that what was once difficult or even drudgery instead becomes delight.  And God is glorified when I am satisfied in Him.  Isn't this a beautiful truth?

So I will continue to fight (with the help of the Spirit and the encouragement of other believers) for sanctification-- for self-discipline, knowing that the Lord's beauty shines forth when I learn to long for more of Him.