Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ~ Romans 12:11,12
There is so much packed into these two verses for me to live up to! Zeal, fervor, service, joy, patience, and faithfulness. Wow! What a tall order!
I know there is no way I can do all this on my own. And these are just two verses in the middle of a long line of verses filled with similar instructions.
But when I looked closer at this whole chapter I noticed something in verse 3. Paul says "For by the grace given unto me I say to every one of you:" and then he proceeds to give a whole list of instructions. I think Paul understood that it was only by God's grace that he was able to follow Him, and that it would only be by God's grace that anyone else would be able to as well.
I am not meant to live this Christian life on my own and neither are you. We are only able to do so by God's grace, which we receive through His Son, Jesus. Without this we are completely inept, unable to do any real good, or to live a life pleasing to God.
God never asks us to do something that He will not equip us for and help us to grow into.
AMEN!!! God is good all the time.
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