Human Effort

Galatians 3:2-3, 5
Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?...Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?

We, as Christians, understand that we are brought into relationship with Jesus through our belief – our understanding of the truth and our willingness to submit to its authority over our lives. Saved by grace – the mighty grace of God. Yet, when it comes time to grow in Him and in faith, we decide to take matters into our own hands, generally.
We cannot become like Christ through our own efforts – nothing we do will mold us to be like Him. God, alone, can change us and make us more like Christ. He has many tools by which He does this – the Word, prayer, fasting, fellowship – yet He is the only One who can truly change us. Merely reading the Bible won’t do us much good, if we’re not reading it in the context of our relationship with God. Prayer isn’t much good if we simply rattle off a bunch of words and call it good for the day.
No, Jesus forms us to look like Him by hanging out with us. Spending time with God will begin to change our habits, our thinking, our talk, our ways. What are some ways you like to hang out with God? When you read your Bible, are you reading God’s letter to you, or just some old books that have some really wise sayings (sayings, consequently, that your spouse really should take to heart!)? When you pray, do you consider it a one-time event each day, a quick conversation and then you’re on your way? Let’s be honest – I won’t “read” your answer, if you won’t “read” mine.
Spend some time thinking about (and asking God) how you can make Him a part of everything you do, the most important part of your life. We can’t do this Christian life on our own, no matter how many spiritual disciplines we check off our lists, if we’re not doing them with the only One who has the power to change us dramatically, permanently, perfectly.