I've really enjoyed putting these blog posts about character together. It's helped shape a few things in my mind, and I hope for all of you who have been reading that it has done the same for you.
As we seek to grow and adopt the kind of character that is spoken of throughout the Bible and that we want to have as part of our lives, we also have to come to grips with the fact that we will never fully achieve this. The sinful nature in our lives simply does not permit us to always do everything in the way we want, or in good ways. I would actually argue that part of our character development is learning how to "own up" to those times when we fail, learning how to admit to others that we were wrong, and then asking for forgiveness and seeking to change (especially if it's a recurring problem or sin).
Another thing we have to face is that developing character will often leave scars behind. One TV show that I regularly watch usually opens and closes with sayings that pertain to the topic of the show. One in particular has stuck with me for a long time. It says "Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars." (Quote is by Kalil Gibran) What it seems that he is saying here is that we won't grow our characters by hiding in safe places. It is by being put into the new, the uncomfortable, the challenging, where we will encounter growth. It doesn't take a lot of character to keep doing the same things over and over again. It does take and develop great character to try new things, to stretch yourself in ways that you could not have imagined.
All of this also takes a great deal of courage. Courage is not the absence of fear, but is more like staring fear in the face and going ahead with what you were doing anyway. We discover the strength that God has given us when we put ourselves in new situations and seek to grow. (Would you be surprised to know that this also has the potential to grow us in our trust in God as the One who cares for us and provides for and protects us?)
In all of these things, we can also rest completely assured that, when we fail, or when we falter, or when we plain just don't want to, the relationship of forgiveness that God has for us does not change. How well or poorly we may do in changing our character still does not change our relationship with the forgiving God. He who begun the good work in us is also the only one who can bring it to completion, and He will do that on the day when Christ once again appears and claims His own to be with Him forever. This gives us courage and the strength to take those chances, to step forth in courage.
Thanks for listening to my thoughts on character. I look forward to the next series and seeing what your thoughts are!
As we seek to grow and adopt the kind of character that is spoken of throughout the Bible and that we want to have as part of our lives, we also have to come to grips with the fact that we will never fully achieve this. The sinful nature in our lives simply does not permit us to always do everything in the way we want, or in good ways. I would actually argue that part of our character development is learning how to "own up" to those times when we fail, learning how to admit to others that we were wrong, and then asking for forgiveness and seeking to change (especially if it's a recurring problem or sin).
Another thing we have to face is that developing character will often leave scars behind. One TV show that I regularly watch usually opens and closes with sayings that pertain to the topic of the show. One in particular has stuck with me for a long time. It says "Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars." (Quote is by Kalil Gibran) What it seems that he is saying here is that we won't grow our characters by hiding in safe places. It is by being put into the new, the uncomfortable, the challenging, where we will encounter growth. It doesn't take a lot of character to keep doing the same things over and over again. It does take and develop great character to try new things, to stretch yourself in ways that you could not have imagined.
All of this also takes a great deal of courage. Courage is not the absence of fear, but is more like staring fear in the face and going ahead with what you were doing anyway. We discover the strength that God has given us when we put ourselves in new situations and seek to grow. (Would you be surprised to know that this also has the potential to grow us in our trust in God as the One who cares for us and provides for and protects us?)
In all of these things, we can also rest completely assured that, when we fail, or when we falter, or when we plain just don't want to, the relationship of forgiveness that God has for us does not change. How well or poorly we may do in changing our character still does not change our relationship with the forgiving God. He who begun the good work in us is also the only one who can bring it to completion, and He will do that on the day when Christ once again appears and claims His own to be with Him forever. This gives us courage and the strength to take those chances, to step forth in courage.
Thanks for listening to my thoughts on character. I look forward to the next series and seeing what your thoughts are!
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