As I meditated on the last part of Colossians 1:29, I questioned the word striving. That usually is a term of the flesh. However, Luke 13:24 says, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate…”

As saints our work for the Lord will be opposed by the enemy of our soul. How do we fight? 2 Corinthians 10:4 says, “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal…” As saints we have a great gift ~ His resurrection power within us.

Think of salmon fighting to get back upstream to lay their eggs. It is a battle to go against the current. Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians was that He would open the eyes of their understanding to know His resurrection power that was in them.

Ephesians 1:19 says, “And what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power.” Verse 20 says that it is the same power that God used to raise Jesus from the dead.” As saints we are empowered to do all that He has called as saints to do.

2 Timothy 1:9 says, “Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.”

In 1 Corinthians 1:2 Paul used the words, “…called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.” What do saints do?

As I have been meditating on Colossians 1:28-29, I’ve reflected on Paul’s words. In the context he was addressing all believers. Verse 26 says of the mystery, that it has been revealed to His saints. The mystery (verse 27) is “…Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

Verse 28 says, “Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.” Perfect means mature. 

In verse 29 Paul gave us his example. It says, “To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.” Striving means to struggle.

John the Baptist declared Jesus openly to those around him. John 1:29 says, “…Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” Behold is an imperative. It means to stop what you are doing, and focus on what is going to be said or done.

Have you ever felt unloved, been rejected, unwanted, or lonely? 1 John 3:1 starts out in a way that draws our attention to what comes next. It says, “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God!…”

Focus now on this verse. John 1:13 says of every believer, “Who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” Ephesians 1:4 ~ chosen before the foundation of the world.

Verse 5-6 says it was predetermined according to, “…the good pleasure of His will,…by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.” We are loved!

2 Corinthians 3:18 says that when we stop everything and behold Him, supernatural inner transformation will take place.

When desires are not met, or hopes are dashed, the bait of satan is dangled in front of us. John 11:1-44 is an amazing passage. Mary and Martha had sent word to Jesus that Lazarus was sick.

Verse 4 says, “…This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” The Lord purposely waited. Verse 6 says, “…He stayed two more days in the place where He was.” 

Lazarus died. Jesus and his disciples went to Bethany. Verse 21 recorded Martha’s broken expectations. It says, “Now Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”

Mental conversations of ‘if only’s’ often come when our expectations are broken. It is not only futile, but emotionally fatiguing. The Greek meaning for futile is: empty, unproductive, lacking substance, ineffectual, and worthless.

There is only One who is in control. He is our Masterful Orchestrator. It is prudently essential to lay our hopes and dreams before Him with an open hand ~ placing our expectations on Him alone.

I needed to compose my online devotional. I asked the Holy Spirit what to write. The words ‘broken expectations’ came. He took me to John the Baptist who was in prison. He heard about the works of Christ, and sent two of His disciples. Matthew 11:3 says, “And said to Him, Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”

It was John the Baptist who saw Jesus for the first time and declared, “…Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” Isaiah 40:3 described John the Baptist. Matthew 11:3 quoted that passage. It says, “…The voice of one crying in the wilderness: prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight.”

John the Baptist’s expectations were broken. He questioned if Jesus was the One. Jesus sent word back. Matthew 11:6 says,”And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” Offended means to cause to stumble.

Broken expectations can throw us off kilter. The remedy? Psalm 62:5 says, “My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him.”

I am fascinated with the words ‘in all wisdom’, from Colossians 1:28 and 3:16. There is only One who has all wisdom, yet He bids us ask Him for it. James 1:5. What a privilege! James 3:17 says that wisdom from above is first pure.

Psalm 12:6 says, “The words of the Lord are pure words…” His word contains His wisdom and knowledge. As we bring it into our hearts, our thoughts are purified. It also is stored in a reservoir, ready for when the Holy Spirit needs it to direct us.

Colossians 2:3 says, “In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” It is through our intimate communion with the Lord that He reveals the hidden insights and perspective we need in our journey of progressive sanctification.

Romans 11:33 says, “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!” We will never be at a loss ~ we cannot plumb the depths. Cry out to Him while inside your crucible-trial.

Psalm 138:8 says, “The Lord will perfect that which concerns me…” The Hebrew for perfect means to end, finish, accomplish, to perform, fulfill. Our promise in Philippians 1:6 says, “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

Our trials are God’s way to perfect our journey towards maturity. They are the stamp of His intimate involvement in our lives. As we yield to the work of the Holy Spirit, He is the one who produces the fruit of the Spirit in us. That fruit is evidence that we are walking in the Spirit and not in our flesh. Galatians 5:16.

Galatians 5:22-23 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…” This fruit will be the characteristics in the lives of those controlled and directed by the Holy Spirit. We bear the fruit that He produces in us. It is the result of our abiding in Him. John 15:8 says, “By this My Father is glorified…”

Hebrews 10:36 says, “For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.” James 1:3 says, “Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.”

Romans 5:3 in the Amplified says, “Moreover (let us also be full of joy now!) let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance.”

God’s way through our trials develops His character in us. He endured the cross for us through joy. Nehemiah 8:10 says that the joy of the Lord is our strength. Colossians 1:11 says, “Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy.”

Jesus’ gift of irrevocable joy was imparted to us the moment of our salvation. John 15:10-11 says, “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love…These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” Endurance through joy.

Every trial we encounter is God’s way in our journey of progressive sanctification. I love Psalm 18. They are David’s words after the Lord delivered him from Saul. Verse 1 says, “I will love You, O Lord, my strength.”

Verse 30 says, “As for God, His way is perfect…” Verse 32 says, “It is God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect.” In Psalm 25:4 David wrote, “Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths.”

I want the Lord to make His ways known to me. Psalm 103:7 says, “He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel. The Lord revealed to Moses what He was going to do when they faced the Red Sea. The children of Israel saw His acts. They witnessed Him parting the Red Sea, getting them safely across, and then destroying their enemies.

James 1:3 in the J. B. Phillips says of our trials, “…don’t resent them as intruders, but welcome them as friends!” Trials expose our hidden flesh and crucifies it, which strengthens our inner man. 

Applying Colossians 3:16 equips us in biblical counseling. We bring His truth into our lives, and it experientially sets us free to set others free. John 8:32. Admonishing means to encourage, warn, exhort, or urge another, through the wisdom and insights we have personally walked in ~ our testimony of freedom.

The Lord seeks those who worship Him in spirit and in truth. John 4:24. Spending time in His Presence, and rehearsing His word back to Him is His delight. The truths we have gleaned from His word, become heart lyrics of adoration ~ spontaneous spiritual songs that bubble up through gratitude.

Psalm 33:1 says, “Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful.” Here is the first verse of a new song. “I come to You O Lord in the womb of the morning. To sit and worship You and call upon Your name. You answer me with a sweetness that melts my heart. And opens me to receive Your words.” Psalm 40:3 says, “He has put a new song in my mouth—praise to our God…”