Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all. (1 Timothy 4:15, NASB)
My 20-year-old son Weston and I recently went to lunch and our topic of conversion was making progress. He needs to decide his next move in life, and I was doing my best to give him a little direction. Like most young men, Weston has a number of options, but one of them can’t be hanging around the house and playing video games all day. He needs to make progress in life.
When it comes to golf, I also have to make progress. I’ve come to realize I’m happy with a round of golf as long as I am making progress. If I have a lousy round, I’m especially frustrated if I don’t know what happened. The point of learning the game is to play better and to be able to make corrections in the middle of your round. It doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy a casual round of golf, but somewhere in there I need to make a little progress. Golf is supposed to be my game.
The Bible gives us several passages that talk about making progress in life: “Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith” (Philippians 1:25). “But they will not make further progress; for their folly will be obvious to all, just as Jannes’s and Jambres’s folly was also” (2 Timothy 3:9).
Practicing three hours today is no guarantee of a great round tomorrow; but it will eventually pay off. Life is similar.The first chapter of James is essentially about making progress: “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” We refer to James 1 often because, first, we are familiar with encountering trials, and second, because the words remind us that a proper response to our trials will help us make progress in our spiritual life. It’s one thing to “lack nothing” when it comes to my golf game, but even more, what if I could do this in life?
Before we close today, let’s look at a key piece of James’ instruction. To make progress, we must endure. In golf, we have to be patient and have faith that our hard work will pay off. Practicing three hours today is no guarantee of a great round tomorrow; but it will eventually pay off. Life is similar. We can read, pray, and attend a Bible study today, but Matthew 6 tells us “each day has enough trouble of its own.” This means we will always find opportunity to apply what we learn!
So the question in the middle of these learning opportunities remains: Are we making progress? If you’re relying on God to lead the way, I think you can’t miss. James wrote: “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind” (James 1:5-6). God will honor our faith-filled requests of him with the progress we desire.
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Bill Euler
August 28, 2019
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The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.