Not Done Yet

Not Done Yet

Q: When will God be done perfecting us?

• a. when he returns
• b. after we are baptized
• c. after years of Bible study

There used to be a popular bumper sticker that read “Please be patient. God isn’t finished with me yet.” This is the message behind Philippians 1:6. God started working in your life the day you became a believer. It’s not a onetime event; it’s a lifelong process. The Holy Spirit lives in you, guiding you and helping you become more like Jesus day by day.

Do you ever feel like you mess up over and over? Even when you get discouraged and feel like giving up on yourself, God doesn’t. It’s not okay to sin over and over and expect God to overlook it, but you are his personal project, and he doesn’t leave his projects undone.

After Paul told the Philippians that God would continue a good work in them, he said, “I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God” (Philippians 1:9-11). Paul didn’t want the believers to just sit by and watch God work. He wanted them to learn more about God so they would know what really matters and have righteous character.

God wants you to be filled with the fruit of your salvation—showing godly characteristics in your life—just as Paul encouraged the Philippian believers to be.

For You

If you are a Christian, you will continue to grow in your faith and become more like Jesus as you listen to the Holy Spirit and as you fill your heart and mind with God’s Word. Take time to do that a little each day.

Answer: a

I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.   Philippians 1:6

(The Whole Story: Philippians 1:3-11)