A confession and a lesson
Although I have yet to finish it, I feel that I can profoundly recommend Future Grace to anyone willing to read it. God has ministered to my soul through John Piper’s careful words.
I’m going to have to be frank and discuss my sin in order to discuss what I’ve learnt. I miss Helen terribley. Not sin. I’m impatient to see her again. Now this, this is sin. Why is this sinful? Because it’s a symptom of unbelief.
All things work to God’s purpose, especially in light of the amazing paradigm-shattering promise of Romans 8:28, me not waiting on God’s timing, me not placing his plans above my plans, his ways above my ways, his understanding above my understanding, me not saying to God, ‘I can’t see the good in this, but you promise it’s there, and I desire your glory above my own, I treasure you above myself,’ is rampant and unrepentant unbelief. It’s saying that I don’t believe God when he in Christ hands me that pillar-tall magnificent promise of Romans 8:28. When God says to me: And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose, then my impatience is saying that I don’t believe him when he says this.
My impatience speaks of me having no understanding of what God is like. It is unbelief. It is, thankfully, the unbelief of mine that Christ bore on the cross. The blood of Jesus covers it. Irresistable unmerited grace removes it’s stain from my soul, and takes it’s wrath away from me, replacing it with righteousness.
It’s still there though. And to be sanctified from it I must cling daily to the truth of all that God is for me in Christ. How much better that is than anything else! I delight to see the sanctifying work of the Spirit in me, through my faith which is in itself an unconditional gift of divine and sovereign grace.
Lord God, free me from my unbelief to life secure in the truth of all you are for me in Jesus.
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