He Remains Faithful

Even when we are too weak to have any faith left, he remains faithful to us and will help us, for he cannot disown us who are part of himself, and he will always carry out his promises to us. (2 Timothy 2:13; Philips paraphrase)

It’s that time of year where we look back and look ahead.  Everyone is in the business of self improvement and we jokingly know that most habits will die out not far into the month.  I never make resolutions as I can sometimes be a little to intense about not meeting personal goals, so I avoid making them.  

On the blog, around this time,  I typically share you with what God is doing in me, my faceless audience (might be a time to mention I have a lot of regular traffic on the blog but not a lot of comments so please interact to help guide my future content). Well, right now I’m here to confess that I didn’t keep my “spiritual” resolution from last year and don’t have any clear picture about where I’m going next.  In the previous year, I was exploring what it meant to love God with my strength and I’ll admit in 2025 after my ministry obligations were done I phoned it in.  I took a break from the busyness of serving God and was just kind of with God.  

My productive-self feels a bit nervous sharing that with you.  I write a blog each month in order to proclaim God’s word, strengthen faith in fellow believers, and utilize my teaching gift. Since my blog gets lots of traffic, it is tempting to show myself as the example who doesn’t struggle. Yet a more important message should be to remind the reader that leaders in the church are also regular Christians?  That they too have seasons of dormant fruit?  That they aren’t always self-diciplined enough to be consistent every day with their personal faith practices? If we believe the gospel, the good news that we can stop working and start resting in God’s approval that is unconditional , than me telling you I’ve felt a little off in my dicipleship habits should be relief that you too don’t have to perform to be accepted and loved.  

This self-reflection has led me one again to consider how much do I trust the gospel.  A reminder that the gospel is good news because it proclaims that God loves me without consistent performance and effort.  This verse in Timothy reminds us that since God lives within us (and He does through the Spirt given as a seal and guarantee to each new believer that faith is real and we are adopted, forever in His grip until He returns or calls us home) and His character is consistent and constant.  We are part of Him, as He is part of us with a permanent divine unity; we can’t be separated because His character is so constant and reliable.  Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  He is always good, holy, powerful, wise, kind,  patient, among so many other qualities.  He is like a diamond where every new view of His quality is a facet to worship.  He carries us and our faith along despite us. 

This grace doesn’t mean I don’t put forth effort to carry out the self motivation I should have, when I’m not putting forth effort I am robbing myself of spiritual growth,  but it means I can stop beating myself up that I didn’t achieve my spiritual goals last year and don’t have anything in mind right now.  Maybe the work God is doing in me, a doer, is not “to do.” Maybe it’s be still and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10) or reminders about His yoke, His expectations, are light and instead I add on my own agenda and which weighs down my progress (Matthew 11:28-30).  

They are weak but He is strong, yes Jesus loves me.  He loves you too-with your unmet goals and aspirations.  He is a God who helps the unfaithful.  That is the gospel for my heart today, the good news that I can’t but He can.  I won’t but He will.  

I hope the new year brings a fresh wave of His good grace, 

Blessings, 

Rayna

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