As a new Christian many years ago my focus on following Jesus started out with using my perspective to try to walk with God. Fast forward to today and as a disciple of Jesus for 43+ years I have learned through my diligent study of the Scriptures that to use my man centered perspective to carry out the will of God is not only foolish but destined to fall short of our need to do all to the glory of God.
As an example, as a new believer, I fell pray to the trap of being more concerned about my own victory over sin than about the fact that my sins grieved the heart of Jesus. For you see when it comes to sin we are commanded to abstain from all forms of it, in obedience to the Word of God. I like how Jerry Bridges put it: “God wants us to walk in obedience—not victory. Obedience is oriented toward God; victory is oriented toward self.”1
I am so excited that today I try to make all of my decisions based on God’s perspective, because I know He always has my back and works all things for good and His glory – and what can be better than that!
Another example concerning how to view things from the lens of God concerns my pursuit of holiness. Again Jerry Bridges adds important insight here: “We are 100 percent responsible for the pursuit of holiness, but at the same time we are 100 percent dependent upon the Holy Spirit to enable us in that pursuit. The pursuit of holiness is not a pull-yourself-up-by-your-own-bootstraps approach to the Christian life.”2 Bridges then goes on to add: “It’s not just try harder. But it’s going through the Bible and seeing what God requires of us in the way of obedience to him and likeness to his character, and then setting ourselves to doing that. But at the same time recognizing that we are absolutely dependent upon the Holy Spirit to enable us.”3
Understanding that while I am responsible for pursuing holiness, that without the help of the Holy Spirit, this would be impossible, helps me to focus more on God and my need to be totally dependent on Him in this pursuit.
Two final examples on the need to view things from God’s perspective and not from our own earthly perspective concern the areas of contentment and performance.
And to close out this devotion I would like you to really meditate on these two additional quotes from, you guessed it, Jerry Bridges. Both of the quotes below give us great examples of how important it is to focus on God as both the source and the substance of a vibrant daily relationship with Jesus.
“Contentment is one of the most distinguishing traits of the godly person, because a godly person has his heart focused on God rather than on possessions or position or power.”4
“The realization that my daily relationship with God is based on the infinite merit of Christ instead of on my own performance is a very freeing and joyous experience. But it is not meant to be a one-time experience; the truth needs to be reaffirmed daily.”5
1 The Pursuit of Holiness Quotes by Jerry Bridges
2 Dick Staub Interview: Jerry Bridges Is Still Pursuing Holiness – Christianity Today
3 Dick Staub Interview: Jerry Bridges Is Still Pursuing Holiness – Christianity Today
4 A Model of Contentment (Philippians 4:10-23) – Iron 2 Iron Ministries