Are we the person we want to be? There is a difference between satisfaction and contentment. Jesus has big plans for us.

My son, pay attention to my wisdom, turn your ear to my words of insight,

As I was reading this morning in John 12, I noticed that everyone was doing something: Jesus was being honored, having raised Lazarus from the dead not very many days back, Lazarus was host of the party, Martha was serving, Mary was worshiping, Judas was conniving, and the chief priests were plotting.

My question is this: If you were to take a snapshot of your life sometime today, would you be doing what you think you want to be doing? Are you the person you would like to be?

According to the Apostle Paul, there are two answers. One is that we are satisfied in the fact that we are positionally where we want to be in Jesus: we are saved, washed, clothed in His righteousness, adopted, filled with His Spirit, and walking with Him.

The second answer is to learn to be content with where we are in this world and in this body. Paul did:

11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:11-13

We must realize that we will NEVER know Jesus fully until we see Him face to face in glory. Chances are that we will die–in fact, it’s a 100% chance. We COULD be one of the “blessed” ones (I almost said “lucky”) to be here when Christ returns, but I’m not counting on it. So, we are content to walk with Him by faith.

Walking by faith means that we must work at making our lives more like Jesus. In order for Jesus to give us free choice about salvation, He had to leave ALL decisions up to us, which means that we have lots of opportunities to fail–but, also, to succeed. We have His promise that HE is ultimately responsible for making us complete, whole, blameless and without fault (see Phil. 1:6 and Jude 24). At the same time, He wants us to grow in godliness with Him teaching us how, empowering us and even giving us the “want-to to want to” (Robin’s term). This “higher desire” (my term) is addressed in Philippians 2:13,

13 for it is God who works in you to will (desire) and to act (power) in order to fulfull his good purpose.

And in Ephesians 4:22-24,

22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:22-24

This passage is where we live every day–all day. The goal is to walk so close to Jesus that we get the love, joy, peace, hope and grace that emanate from Him all over us. Let’s do what we want to be found doing at any given time today. Let’s walk in step with Jesus!