We want to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, but our reliance on our own works is the very thing that is preventing us from our sanctification.

Hurry Up and Wait 

Have you ever noticed how much waiting takes place throughout the narrative of the Bible? Adam and Eve were promised a son who would restore creation back to its perfect order. Yet, their first born child became a murderer, essentially taking two options out of the running. It took Noah 120 years to build the Ark, not to mention the time spent on the boat waiting for the waters to subside. I get seasick, so just thinking about that makes me queasy. Abraham was promised a nation of descendants, but he not only had to wait until he was 100 years old to have a son, but Abraham would never see the nation formed, and the only land he would ever own would be a cemetery. Jacob would wait seven years for his dream wife, only to end up with Leah, and then work another seven years to satisfy the debt for Rachel. Joseph was sold into slavery and later thrown in jail, Moses spent 40 years with the grumbling Israelites in the dessert, David wasn’t allowed to build the temple, Daniel spent a lifetime in captivity in Babylon, and we could go on and on. 

Why were God’s people subjected to suffering during these long periods of waiting? Romans 5 and James 1 explain that the testing of our faith is designed to produce patience, character, and hope. Hardships teach us something that we could never learn without them. Yet, there is a tension here. Although we can acknowledge the benefit of our struggles, we would never wish them upon ourselves or those that we love. 

Like the formation of diamonds, sanctification takes time and pressure, two things we don’t want to concede. But if we knew the treasure that we would get from going through it, we might be more willing to submit ourselves to the process. Paul, in his latter years, would acknowledge the joy in suffering for the cause of Christ, “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and may share His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death.” This process takes a lifetime to learn. I’m not there yet. 

Waiting means surrender. If we always got what we wanted as soon as we asked for it, we would become entitled. God’s timing is often longer than we are willing to wait, but it is perfect in that it is just long enough to teach us patience. And patience, over time, teaches us to hope in the Lord.

I Surrender All 

Surrender is not a positive term. It gives the impression of defeat or retreat. We don’t want to give up on our progress, so we keep banging our head against the wall, hoping something will give way. We are striving in our best effort, but we just can’t seem to do enough to get over the hump. So we look to Jesus to give us that extra push. This is where we get it all wrong. 

We want to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, but our reliance on our own works is the very thing that is preventing us from our sanctification. It is a subtle distinction, but one that makes all the difference in the world. 

Throughout Jesus’ teaching we are told that we must surrender. We have to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him. We look at the story of the rich young ruler and think, “How foolish. He’s choosing the treasures of this world over Jesus,” but how often do we fall short in our own surrender to Christ? 

We tend to think that trusting God only requires turning over control in a few key areas. But God isn’t just renovating the guest room, He’s tearing down the whole structure and starting from scratch. Even when we think we have surrendered everything to God, we are reminded of just how difficult it is when we are blindsided by something we have held back. 

Giving up control is one of the hardest things to do. We aren’t able to bring anything with us into the transformation either. We don’t sit on the planning committee and we don’t get to manage the progress, but He who began this good work in us will bring it to completion. 

Here is a test to see how much we have actually surrendered to Christ. How quick are we to defend ourselves when confronted? How comfortable are we with the outcome of elections if we don’t get the candidate we want? How anxious are we for our own life in a pandemic? Does our financial giving go down in an economic decline? 

Surrender does not mean we neglect good works. In fact, faith without works is dead, but reliance on works is completely devoid of faith. What would happen if we truly humbled ourselves and gave God complete control over our lives, our families, and our nation? Do we have any reason to worry about the outcome? 

Learning to Suffer from Christ

Even Jesus had to endure suffering. There are two specific examples. The first was when He went off into the wilderness for 40 days to be tempted by the devil. Here, Jesus submitted Himself to the human struggle in a high dosage. He identifies with us in our weakness as He wrestled with the longings of His physical body. We also know of the suffering Jesus endured on the cross. We are given insight into what He was about to face in the moments leading up to the crucifixion by watching Him struggle in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus was praying and asking God if there was any other way that this cup could pass from Him. This was His trial. So what did Jesus have to learn? He already has patience, character, and hope. Hebrews 5:8 tells us that Jesus learned obedience through suffering. 

In the end, trials, suffering, and waiting are not meaningless. They are not simply something we have to get through in order to find our reward on the other side. They are a blessing in themselves. They are designed to shape, refine, and conform us into the image of Christ. Although we would prefer to rush through them and get to the end result, the process takes time. So, we fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who, for the reward set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is now raised up and seated on the right hand of the throne of God. 

We would save ourselves a lot of trouble and a great deal of heartache if we would willingly submit ourselves as living sacrifices, letting the flames burn away all of the impurities in our life. But our reflex is to pull back from the pain. Instead, we must press into God’s sanctifying work and surrender to His process, allowing time and pressure to take full effect and complete its work.

So, I’ve decided to give up, not on God, not on myself, and not on ministry, but on everything I’ve been doing wrong in my own effort to control the end results. I’m trusting in Jesus and following His example and I encourage you to do the same. Let’s die to ourselves and live for Him. Let’s make the most of these trials, rejoice in suffering, and learn to be patient in waiting as hope begins to flourish in our anticipation of all the great things that God will do. Behold, He’s making all things new. 

Adam Miller is the president and host of Songtime Radio and serves as the pastor of South Chatham Community Church. 

You can hear his teaching on our daily broadcast on the radio or online, watch his preaching live on Facebook, and read his weekly sermon manuscripts on our website.