God’s Goal for Me Is Character, Not Comfort

In Ephesians 4:22-24 I read, “Take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you." (The Message)

Many religions and philosophies promote the old lie that people are divine or can become gods. Let's be absolutely clear: I will never become God or even a god.

That prideful lie is Satan’s oldest temptation. Satan wanted Adam and Eve to follow his advice and promised them this if they would: “You will be like God . . .” (Genesis 3:5 NIV).

This desire to be a god shows up every time I try to control my circumstances, my future, or the people around me. But I’m a creature; I will never be the Creator. God doesn’t want me to become a god; he wants me to become godly, taking on his values, attitudes, and character.

I am meant to “take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into my conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in me” (Ephesians 4:22-24 The Message).

God’s ultimate goal for my life on Earth is not comfort but character development. He wants me to grow up spiritually and become like Christ.

Becoming like Christ does not mean losing my personality or becoming a mindless clone. God created my uniqueness, so he certainly doesn’t want to destroy it. Christlikeness is all about transforming my character, not my personality.

Every time I forget that character is one of God’s purposes for my life, I become frustrated by my circumstances. I’ll wonder, “Why is this happening to me? Why am I having such a difficult time?” One answer is that life is supposed to be difficult! Difficulty enables me to grow. Remember, Earth is not heaven.

In John 10:10, Jesus promises: “I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (KJV). Many Christians misinterpret this promise of abundant life to mean perfect health, a comfortable lifestyle, constant happiness, full realization of dreams, and instant relief from problems through faith and prayer.

In a word, expecting the Christian life to be easy. Expecting heaven on Earth.

But God is not my genie or my servant. If I fall for the idea that life is supposed to be easy, I will become severely disillusioned and live in denial of reality.

Life is not about me! I exist for God’s purposes, not vice versa. Why would God provide heaven on Earth when he’s planned the real thing for us in eternity?  

God gives me my time on Earth to build and strengthen my character—so that I’ll be ready for an eternity in heaven.

In summary, many religions and philosophies promote the old lie that people are divine or can become gods. That prideful lie is Satan’s oldest temptation. This desire to be a god shows up every time I try to control my circumstances, my future, or the people around me. But I’m a creature; I will never be the Creator. God doesn’t want me to become a god; he wants me to become godly, taking on his values, attitudes, and character. I am meant to “take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into my conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in me. God’s ultimate goal for my life on Earth is not comfort but character development. He wants me to grow up spiritually and become like Christ. God created my uniqueness, so he certainly doesn’t want to destroy it. Christlikeness is all about transforming my character, not my personality. Every time I forget that character is one of God’s purposes for my life, I become frustrated by my circumstances and wonder, “Why is this happening?” Life is supposed to be difficult! Difficulty enables me to grow. Earth is not heaven. Many misinterpret the promise of abundant life to mean perfect health, a comfortable lifestyle, constant happiness, full realization of dreams, and instant relief from problems through faith and prayer. Expecting the Christian life to be easy. Expecting heaven on Earth. But God is not my genie or my servant. If I fall for the idea that life is supposed to be easy, I will become severely disillusioned and live in denial of reality. Life is not about me! I exist for God’s purposes. God gives me my time on Earth to build and strengthen my character—so that I’ll be ready for an eternity in heaven.

My old way of life before I believed in Christ is completely in the past. I should put it behind me like old clothes to be thrown away. When I decided to accept Christ's gift of salvation, it was a one-for-all-time decision along with daily conscious commitments. I am not to be driven by desire and impulse. I must put on a new nature, head in a new direction, and have a new way of thinking that the Holy Spirit gives me. 

To Be My Best, Give God My Best

In 2 Timothy 1:6-7 I read, “Fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” (NIV)

When Timothy joined Paul on his missionary journey, Timothy was still a very young man. Paul sent him to a city called Ephesus to help start and lead a church. Even though Timothy struggled with fear, God used him.

Here are three lessons I can learn from Timothy about how to fulfill God’s calling on my life.

Develop the gifts God gave me.

The Bible says, “Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but be an example for the believers in your speech, your conduct, your love, faith, and purity . . . Do not neglect the spiritual gift that is in you . . . Practice these things and devote yourself to them, in order that your progress may be seen by all” (1 Timothy 4:12, 14-15 GNT).

Paul also told Timothy to “fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:6-7 NIV).

As a believer, I have a lifelong responsibility to develop the talents and gifts God has given me.

Refuse to be distracted.

Paul tells Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:16, “Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you” (NLT).

It’s easy to get sidetracked by a desire to build my business, family, career, or savings. And many people waste countless hours of their lives on the Internet and on their phones. As a follower of Jesus, I’ve got to keep the most important things in focus so I can fulfill my calling.

Give God my very best.

The Bible says, “Run your best in the race of faith, and win eternal life for yourself; for it was to this life that God called you” (1 Timothy 6:12 GNT). God has called me to a specific task, and it can only be accomplished when I give it the best of my time, effort, gifts, and focus.

Paul says about Timothy, “I have no one else like Timothy” (Philippians 2:20 NLT). Can you imagine a greater epitaph? There was no one else in the world like Timothy. He was focused. He was committed to the call of God in his life. Nobody could distract or discourage him, and he gave God his best.

As I give God my best and follow his calling, God will bring out the best in me too.

In summary, I am to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in me. For the Spirit God gave me does not make me timid, but gives me power, love and self-discipline. Even though Timothy struggled with fear, God used him. Here are three lessons I can learn from Timothy about how to fulfill God’s calling. 1). Develop the gifts God gave me. Be an example in my speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity. Do not neglect the spiritual gift that is in me, Practice these things and devote myself to them. The Spirit God gave me does not make me timid, but gives me power, love and self-discipline. I have a lifelong responsibility to develop the talents and gifts God has given me. 2). Refuse to be distracted. Keep a close watch on how you live and on my teaching. Stay true to what is right. It’s easy to get sidetracked by a desire, and waste countless hours on the Internet and on my phone. Learn to keep the most important things in focus so I can fulfill my calling. 3). Give God my very best. Run my best in the race of faith, and win eternal life. God has called me to a specific task, and it can only be accomplished when I give it the best of my time, effort, gifts, and focus. As I give God my best and follow his calling, God will bring out the best in me too.

At the time of his ordination, Timothy had received special gifts of the Spirit to enable him to serve the church. In telling Timothy to "fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you," Paul was encouraging him to persevere. Timothy did not need new revelations or new gifts; e needed the courage and self-discipline to hang on to the truth and to use the gifts he had already received. If Timothy would step out boldly in faith and proclaim the Good News once again, the Holy Spirit would go with him and give him power. When I use my gifts that God has given me, I will find that God will give me the power I need to accomplish whatever task he gives me. Clearly Timothy's spiritual gift had been given to him when Paul and the elders had laid their hands on him and set him apart for ministry. God gives all Christians gifts to use to build up the body of Christ, and he gives special gifts to some through church leaders, who serve as God's instruments. Timothy was experiencing great opposition to his message and to himself as a leader. His youth, his association with Paul, and his leadership had come under fire from believers and nonbelievers alike. Paul urged him to be bold. If I allow others to intimidate me, I neutralize my effectiveness for God. The power of the Holy Spirit can help me overcome my fear of what some might say or do to me so that I can continue to do God's work. Paul mentions three characteristics of the effective Christian leader: power, love, and self-discipline. These are available to us because the Holy Spirit lives in us. Follow his leading each day so that my life will more fully exhibit these characteristics.  

Learning How to Remove and Replace Old Habits

In review of 1 Timothy 4:15 it says, “Practice these things. Devote your life to them so that everyone can see your progress”

Bottom Line:

Practice and devote yourself to what you’ve learned, let others see the difference it has made in you.

What this means to me:

I’m to put into practice what I’m learning. I am to devote my life to them so that everyone can see how it has made a difference in my life.

Today's verse comes from the last part of 1 Timothy chapter 4 and is where Paul is instructing Timothy (and us) about how to be a good servant of Christ Jesus. We are to explain what we have learned to others and thereby become worthy servants of Christ Jesus, continually nourished by the message of faith and the good teaching we follow. Don't waste time arguing over godless ideas or old wives tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly. We do this because our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all.

So we are to teach these things and insist that everyone learn them. Don't let anything think less of us because of age or other differences. Be an example to all in what we say, in the way we live, our love, our faith and purity. Focus on reading and reviewing the Scripture to the church, encouraging the believers, and teaching them.

We are to not neglect the spiritual gifts we have received. We are to give our complete attention to these matters. Thoroughly engage yourselves into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress.  Keep a close watch on how we live and on our teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of our own salvation and the the salvation of those who hear us.

While I was given a brand new nature at my moment of conversion, I still had lots of old habits, patterns, and practices that need to be removed and replaced.

So, I need to let go of the fears that keep me from growing. It is the truth that sets me free, even though it can make me miserable at first. It’s the fear of what I might discover if I honestly faced my character defects which keeps me from living in the prison of denial. As I allow God to shine the light of his truth on my faults, failures, and hang-ups that I can begin to work on them. I suppose this is why I cannot grow without a humble, teachable attitude.

Good habits take time to develop. So I’ll keep in mind that my character is the sum total of my habits. I won’t be able to claim to have integrity unless it is my habit to always be honest. My habits define my character. So I will need to practice every day the habits that will make you more like Christ. “Devote your life to them so that everyone can see your progress” (1 Timothy 4:15b GW).

Today, I should consider what I need to change about my life or schedule, how I spend my free time, etc., so that I can work on developing better habits.

Becoming Like Jesus

In summary of Romans 8:29 it says, “God knew from the beginning who would put their trust in Him. So He chose them and made them to be like His Son. Christ was first and all those who belong to God are His brothers.”

Bottom Line:

God knew from the start who would trust in Him.  He chose and made them to be like His Son.  Christ was first, those who belong to God are His

What this means to me:

Before I was born, God knew my path and that I would respond to Christ as my Lord.  He chose me and wants me to take on the character of His Son.  Christ was first, I put my trust in him to show me the way / be my example to follow.  I have the privilege of being made in God’s image.  While I can’t fathom all that this means, I do know that part of it is that:

• I’m a spiritual being - my spirit/soul will be immortal and will outlast my earthly body
• I’m intellectual - I can think, reason and solve problems
• I’m relational - I can give and receive real love; and I have moral consciousness - I can discern right from wrong, which in turn makes me accountable to God.  

My image however is incomplete, it has been damaged and distorted by sin (going my own way.)  God sent Jesus into our world to restore us to the full image I have lost.  Like father, like Son, God wants me, his child to bear his image and likeness as well.  Christ is my real life example to imitate.  I take great comfort in knowing that God has selected me and will do what he can to develop my character so that I can be more like his Son each day.  This development will not happen overnight.  It is something that will not be complete until I join him in Heaven.