Have you seen how many books are available at the local bookstore on how to make your life better? When you look online there are thousands more ‘self help’ books that focus on some set of ‘behavior modification techniques’. They teach that when we do this and that, then you will get the promised results. To be sure some of them are helpful. Yes we do need discipline, focus, consistency and so on. But most do not really get to the core of the human experience.
When we start with an understanding that God knows us better than we know ourselves, we get an eternal perspective only available to people of faith. His wisdom (contained in the Bible) on how to live the abundant life far surpasses that of people whose wisdom is limited to their own experience.
God has given us a ‘divine advantage’ in the person of the Holy Spirit (John 16:7). He has come to ‘help’ us live a full and fulfilling life that brings glory to God and not self. Empowered by His life and wisdom we can walk in a realm that people share their ‘self help’ insights cannot even see.
This realm of unmerited favor (grace) we are called to is freeing. No need to rely on our own efforts, but rather on His abilities in us. It’s His discipline, consistency, focus, and love within us that is the ‘hope of glory’, The source is in Him, not in us. It’s a subtle difference of focus, but huge in it’s implications.
Colossians 1:27
To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Let us behold His glory and be transformed! He is the originator and sustainer of all that is good in our lives.
Such security and relief.