My uncle recently posted a quote on Facebook that captured my thoughts: “God is in control, but he doesn’t expect you to lean on a shovel and pray for a hole.”  With so many issues in life, people tend to gravitate toward extremes.  And, if we aren’t careful, we do the same when living out our faith.  We fail to live out our faith between two extremes.

One the one hand, there is the extreme of self-effort.  Some tend to equate spiritual living with “doing better,” “trying harder,” or any number of human efforts.  They measure their worth by their ability to do certain things.  And, sadly, they judge others’ spirituality by the same matrix.

On the other hand, there is the extreme of what I call passive faith.  People with passive faith live by their own rules and pursue their own goals but expect God to intervene. They “let go and let God” as they wait for Him to work in spite of themselves.  

However, true spiritual growth comes not at the extremes but in the vibrant middle.  Consider the following passage:

¹² Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, ¹³ for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

Philippians 2:12-13

God’s (not Gold’s) Gym Lies Between the Extremes

I like to think of these two verses in terms of physical exercise.  A person who “works out” by lifting weights, hopes that his or her muscles will grow larger.  But their effort does not produce a muscle that is not already there.  Rather, exercise causes the existing muscle to grow larger and stronger.  

Yes, they “work out” but there is already something else that “works in.”  The muscle benefits from protein and carbohydrates fuel the exercise.  The lungs infuse with oxygen the blood that the heart pumps to the muscles.  Oxygen serves as a catalyst for the energy that is created to help the muscles grow larger.

Even before the work OUT, some things are already working IN.  And that is true for us in spiritual growth as well.

If you are a believer, God is at work in you through His Holy Spirit.  The Bible provides nourishment for your soul, and prayer acts as a catalyst to provide spiritual energy. But God doesn’t work in spite of you.  He works WITH you.  We provide the “want to” of spiritual growth, and God provides the “can do” of spiritual growth.

But the caveat is that God is not at work in you to build your own little claustrophobic kingdom (phrase borrowed from Paul David Tripp).  God is at work in your to accomplish HIS will and HIS good pleasure.  But those are ultimately best for you.

A Suggested “Work Out”

So toward which of the two extremes do you most lean?  Do you work as if it all depend on you?  Do you use your effort to try harder to do better?  

Or are you sitting back waiting for God to move first before you move?  Is your life verse Exodus 14:13, “Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord”?

Where’s the balance?  How can we do our part while depending on God to do His?

The good news of the Gospel is that God is indeed at work in you.  His destiny for you is to give you a make-over in the image of Jesus. (Romans 8:29) He has begun that work, and He will keep working until the day you see Jesus. (Philippians 1:6; 1 John 3:2) So here is what I think is a pretty good work out plan for spiritual growth.

1.  Recognize your need for the ongoing work of Jesus.  You cannot do better without the Holy Spirit’s help.  You need Him.  Own it.  Confess it.  Live in that reality every day.  Ask Him for His help.

2.  Saturate your life with the truths of God’s Word.  You can trust God’s Word.  Read it, heed it, live.

3.  Choose to believe the promises of God for the daily situations of your life.  Ask God to help you live ALL your life in light of the Gospel of Jesus.  

4.  Seek God’s Kingdom first. (Matthew 6:10; Matthew 6:33) Let Him work through you to bring His kingdom into your daily life.

Grab your shovel and start digging, but trust that the Holy Spirit is energizing your every scoop.

You may also find this article helpful as well: Live Intentionally and Be Responsible for Your Life