Always In Progress
Most people become unhappy about where they are in their life at some point. We all have a rough draft of what we want our life to look like. Yet, when looking at where we are now, we begin to wonder how it will all happen. I encourage you to work on accepting the accomplishments you have now as they will attribute to your attitude towards the future. Sometimes it is difficult to see the good in your present circumstances and you begin to have a negative attitude, feeling unsatisfied and discouraged about everything in your life. To keep this from occurring, you need to realize how far you have come and how you have changed. In other words, build good habits now by learning from your experiences and you will find it easier to recognize your progress in all things. All of us have felt discouragement, but we must consider the source of that feeling. Are you the hardest on yourself or do other peoples’ opinions contribute to your criticism more? If you are your own worst critic, you need to change the kind of lens you see everything through. If your source of criticism is from others, you need to decide whether their opinion is worth listening to. In either case, you can control what you allow yourself to internalize. It’s good and healthy for you to remind yourself that any progress, big or small, is still progress. Everyone is always in progress. No one reaches what they think will satisfy them, at least not according to the world's standards.
However, do not allow the feeling of failure stop you from thinking you are making progress. Remember that you can “fail forward.”
John C Maxwell says,
“failing forward is the ability to get back up after you’ve been knocked down, learn from your mistake, and move forward in a better direction.”
In addition, there is a way to begin to feel satisfied in this life, but there needs to be a perspective change! This happens when you begin to live as if you only live for an audience of One! You may be thinking “who is this One I am living for?” “Should I just be living for myself and disregard anyone else?” To a certain extent, yes, but only after accessing who the person is and if their input is helpful. As for the One you should be living for – that is God! In Psalm 145:16 the psalmist, David, says how God “opens His hands and satisfies the desires of every living thing.” God is the source of everything you need, and when you begin to live life with Him in mind, it relieves you of discouragement. In the Bible, in Psalm 37:23-24, it is described this way, “the Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.” From these verses we can see that if you delight in the attention and plans of the Lord, you are taken care of! Living for the audience of the One changes your perspective, and there is no longer any pressure from what others may think or say. In addition, it helps you not to be discouraged of where you are in life or where you think you should be. You will notice, when you are living life with/for God, that nothing is a waste.
In every situation, and every season, God is preparing you for His purposes.
He has made you for more than where you are in life now. Therefore, try not to settle for where you are by getting down in the dumps. Instead, get back up, believing that God is building your character, endurance, and reliance on Him! Remember that God is the unchanging One. In fact, God is always working, whether you see it or not! Therefore, keep focused on living for God, knowing that He sees progress in you no matter what! That progress should not come with pressure to be perfect since no one is! The progress in your life is not even because of you, but because of Him in you! He is the One who keeps you from fully falling! In addition, you do not have to become discouraged when others don’t understand, or recognize, what God is doing in your life. Learn to be okay with, and truly satisfied in, just trusting God as He is the One you are living to please! He uses everything, and anything, for your good. It is said about Abraham, who is referred to as the father of our faith, that “no unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in faith as he gave glory to God..(Romans 4:20).
When you know God and what He says in His word, you can praise Him in everything, knowing that He has you, and your life, in His hands!
God is always right on time, but His timeline is different than ours. However, as you praise Him in the unknown you will see the effects of your faith growing, just as Abraham did! The book of Hebrews talks about the “heroes of the faith” and how God has worked in the lives of people who believed in Him. Hebrews 11:6 explains, “without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” So, how do you please your audience of One? It is only through faith that you can please God! Your faith is to be exercised whether you feel like you are making progress, and especially, when you feel like you are not. Either way, you can be assured that God is the One who makes your steps firm and keeps you from truly falling on your face. With God you are always in progress!
