Heart Of An Overcomer

Read Psalm 51: 10-12...

I know a young man who is gifted and has a great mind bust who just doesn't apply himself. Sound familiar? He sets his sights low and is satisfied with the mediocre. He does enough to be okay and to get by, but he doesn't have the passion to match his potential. As I thought about him the other day, I said to myself, that's the way some of us approach the Christian life-just enough to get by, to just make it. We do enough to be respectable but without the fire in our bosom to match our God-given potential.

God wants us to be intentional and passionate about the pursuit of holiness. He doesn't want us to be lazy about the "little" areas of weakness and sin in our lives that we tend to ignore and manage, nor have a sort of comparative holiness mindset. we say, "I'm not as bad as so and so" or "If I want to, I could be much worse." That's the wrong standard. We're not to be mediocre in our approach to the Christian life.

Psalm 51:10-12 is David's prayer of repentance when he is confronted with his sin to Bathsheba. He uses great passion in his words and is intentional and specific. In other words, he is saying, "God, please don't let me do this again. I want to move toward Your heart."

David expresses three incredible desires. One is a desire for purity: "Create in me a clean heart." David wants a pure heart."-one without stain or hint of sin around him. He doesn't want to entertain anything that's wrong.

Second, David expresses a desire to pursue holiness. "Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me." David wants to be close to God and His presence. He desires to be holier and holier.

Third, David expresses a desire to experience God's pleasure. "restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit." David wants to experience that joy, to know God's delight and pleasure.

Are you satisfied with a mediocre spiritual life, or do you desire more? Ask God today to give you the passion to pursue holiness.----Crawford W. Loritts

REFLECT: In what areas of my life am I lazy and settle for mediocrity? Am I passionate about pursuing His holiness in all areas of my life? Why or why not?

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus,
I pray that today onwards I will live my life with a whole new fire and passion for you. A pursuit for holiness. Not a "get by attitude" about life and when it comes to overcoming sin, especially_________. In Jesus' mighty name. Amen.