Counseling a young christian, the great French pastor and churchman Francois Feneloin wrote these words:

"There is something about your suffering which is very subtle and perhaps hard for you to understand. For even though you are convinced that your first concern is the glory of God, yet in your inmost soul it is the old self which keeps causing you so much trouble. The way I see the problem is this: I think that you really do want God to be glorified in your life, but you think that this is going to be accomplished by becoming more and more perfect. And in doing this you still are thinking of your own personal worth. So if you would truly derive profit from the discovery of your imperfections, I would suggest two things. First of all, never try to justify yourself before God. And second, do not condemn yourself. Instead, why not quietly lay your imperfections before God? And if, at that moment, there are some things you cannot understand about His will, simply tell Him that you are willing to conform your will to His in all things. And then go on in peace. For you must understand that peace is the will of God for you in every situation."

It was many, many years after I first accepted Christ as my Savior that I first read this quote by a man whose thoughts and writings about walking with Jesus have come to mean so much to me. For most of my spiritual journey - finding the Lord at age 12; attending a christian college and seminary; pastoring 3 churches, assisting at 2 others, and serving my church and country as a military chaplain, enjoying 29 years of marriage to the same woman; fathering 2 great kids, 2 crazy dogs, and 27 adorable cats - my thoughts and energies have been consumed with intense, constant, and continual daily and even hourly introspection - Am I saved? Am I sanctified? What does it mean to be sanctified? Am I perfect? What does it mean to be perfect? Am I holy? What does it mean to be holy? I can't do this, I better not do that - and, ultimately and ironically, through it all - where is the peace, the joy, the power that I believe God's Word promises to all His 'new creatures'? I'm not saying that we as Christians - and especially I as a minister - should not be concerned about these questions and their answers. Nor am I saying that in 45 years of following Jesus I never experienced peace, rest, and joy.

What I am saying is this: As I am learning to be less and less concerned about whether or not on a daily basis I am holy - about whether or not I have had some 'experience' that has once and for all made me sanctified and holy - and more and more about whether I am submissive, honestly denying nothing of my sinfulness in His Presence, but laying at His feet - a lump of clay, desperately needing His Potter-touch - I have found a peace and contentment - on a daily basis - that I have never known. I believe that the journey of my life has become a journey toward the joy and rest of honest appraisal - "Here I am, God. Please do with me whatever you will because if you don't change me, it's not going to happen" - and peaceful submission. I'm going to let God worry about whether or not I'm holy. What I need is more and more of His mercy - WHICH HE GRACIOUSLY, GRACIOUSLY, GRACIOUSLY GIVES!!! Praise His Name.

Posted by Steve Mounts at 3:42 PM

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