Discontent With Complacency

Bible Reading: Philippians 3:7-11

“That I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” (Philippians 3:11)

How much do we want to know Christ? How much do we want to enjoy Him? After the ministry is done and the church has become our cosy home, are we satisfied with the graces we have received? 

If at any point we would decide to stop seeking God, thinking that we already know Him, we are insulting the eternal and infinite nature of God’s unsearchable glory. If we decide that we have obeyed enough and changed enough, not only are we insolent towards God in self-pride, we also consider God to be limited in the attribute of His grace. 

God’s love and grace for unworthy sinners like you and I are immeasurable. If we think we know, we really do not know. The love and grace which we can comprehend are but a drop in ten thousand oceans. Who knows the true extent of God’s mercy? Who can fathom the vastness of His love and grace? 

Firstly, we do not understand how broken we are because of sin. We do not know how much we have rebelled against God. We do not understand the seriousness of our actions. And so, we cannot comprehend what forgiveness we have received. We do not know what Christ has done for us on the cross. We are like clueless sheep who know nothing pertaining to life apart from eating grass. Because we are infants with no knowledge of the actual reality we are in, Paul prays in Ephesians 3:14-21 that we, the church, would comprehend “the breadth and length and height and depth” of the love of Christ. How we need to know God more. 

Have we grown content with our relationship with God? Do we think that we have become good enough Christians and that now is the time to lay back? 

God’s will for us is so that we can continually grow in grace and grow in knowing Him even more. This brings the most glory to Him. We cannot grow complacent in our faith. We must continually seek a growing knowledge of God. We must yearn to experience a closer relationship with Him every day. We need to pray for a heart that desires God and desires to grow in His Word all the more. 

This was indeed the heart of the apostle Paul. He testifies, “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:8). Pray for a heart like Paul. Pray for a soul that is revived by the Spirit to seek God and know God. 

How many of us have hearts that hunger and thirst for righteousness as Jesus teaches in the Beatitudes? Only those who hunger and thirst shall be satisfied (Matthew 5:6). Should not the satisfied feel full and complacent? Jesus teaches the opposite. Those who long and have a constant desire to know God are the ones who will be satisfied. 

How much do we prioritise knowing Him? How much do we prioritise obeying His Word? A trust relationship with God happens through obedience. The more we trust Him in humility, the more we will know Him. How we need a new passion for God and discontent for complacency. 

Lord, please revive a passion in me to know You through Your Word. Revive my obedience to You and stir passion in my soul for You. Don’t let me be a Christian who neglects You. To grow in knowing You through Your Word and admire Your continual and immeasurable grace gives glory to You. Please help me to know the grace that You have given me. Forgive my complacent spirit. Give me a hunger and thirst for righteousness. In Jesus’ name, amen.