How do you measure victorious living?
Discussion question for December 10, 2010.
We are all in agreement that living the victorious life is our goal. How do you know if you are achieving that? What circumstantial evidence would you identify to guide you? How does God size you up? Are there ways we can be misled into thinking we are victorious, when the opposite is true?
Here’s my summary of our discussion.
The measure of victorious living must come from how well you are fulfilling the purpose for which God created you. It is important not to apply other standards, besides God’s. Temporal evaluations are often related to your role or accomplishments from a physical point of view. God cares about the eternal things, things that cannot be seen.
There is a difference between what we do and who we are. Identity is established by who we are, and it has to do with the how and why of what we do. In the world, even in the Christian world, there seems to be a preoccupation with whether you are doing enough – or enough for the Kingdom. But there is not a standard by which “enough” can be measured.
Some roles are perceived to be “more Christian” or more godly, such as: missionary, pastor, ministry worker (non-pastor), lay person. Then there are the “worldly” roles such as businessman, physician, laborer, parent, etc. Unless you live an integrated life, these roles can cause conflict. This might be true when the obligations on one role restrict your ability to operate in another. For instance, the role of provider and businessman may consume so much of your time that you aren’t able to participate in missions or caring for the needy.
This conflict is answered in John 6:28-29 where Jesus says: “This is the work God requires – to believe in the One whom He sent.” The one who believes, also according to Jesus, is that one that obeys His commandments.
We are measuring up to our designed purpose when we obey His commands in every role and moment. This will result in victorious living from a spiritual perspective. Jesus is our example, and He says in John 8:29: “I always do those things that please Him.”
There is a sense of satisfaction that comes with obedience to God. It is best captured in the term “shalom”. This peace is not just a feeling of approval or acceptance, but comes from knowing that you are doing the will of God. Even when the results are not evident (most often), you can be certain that your obedience is how you fulfill your purpose.