Growing spiritually, becoming more in the image of Christ, developing holiness, being sanctified, is our goal.
Growth is our responsibility PLUS God is at work in us. (See Our Battle + God’s Work)
To this end we always pray for you, that our God may … fulfill every resolve for good … (2 Thessalonians 1:11 ESV)
To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will fulfill every desire for goodness … (2 Thessalonians 1:11 NASB)
Our responsibility
We must develop a firm, consistent, steadfast resolve for righteous behavior, which is probably always harder than it sounds.
However, the desire itself is from God who works in us to will and to work for His good pleasure. (Philippians 2:13)
Our responsibility, then, is to firmly resolve to live righteously, and, specifically, to bring a specific thought/word/behavior into His way.
And it is our responsibility to pray that God will fulfill our desire, our resolve, for righteousness.
God’s work
God is working us to want to live righteously, and God is working in us to actually live righteously.
That is stupendous, wonderful news!
So … Pray!
God tells us He is working in us, but also pray about His giving and strengthening our desires for righteous living, and specifically for that particular issue nagging us. And then praying for our actually living that way.
Here is Paul’s entire prayer. Pray this for your Christian loved ones. Pray for me!
To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:11–12, ESV)
Praise God that He is working in us!
Christians are headed to glorification, a guaranteed, unimaginable eternity!
