Is good enough good enough?
I’m preaching on Philippians 1:1-11 this Sunday. Enjoying the prep and thought I’d share!
The thing that stikes me is that Paul’s prayer cuts across what we come to take as ‘normal’ as Christian life progresses: Most, if not all of us quickly find that there is no use pursuing excellence because you’ll never get there, it will take too much effort and you’ll end up disappointed anyway.
Perhaps once we had a ‘fire in our belly’, but the dissapointments, weariness and the realities of life have quenched it…perhaps even put it out. Even if the fire is not out now, Paul knows that it is vital to pray against settling for mediocrity. He prays for the Philippian Christians whom he loves that their:
v9: … love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10so that you may be able to discern what is best …
Too often I settle for what is merely ok, passable or what works. this is real life after all.
Instead I need to pray for love which flourishes along with knowledge and depth of insight so that I can discern what is best and do it as God enables.
Such optimism is well founded since
v6: he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Where are you settling for OK in life? bring the fire back! it wont come easy since ever increasing love and knowledge and insight are required. But pray for these things so that you’ll be equipped to discern what is best.
