Sanctified—And Clueless
1 Corinthians 4:1-7
"My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent." — 1 Corinthians 4:4
Only now, over 20 years later, do I realize how clueless I was as a young pastor. I really didn't know what I was doing with my friend Ron and with the little church I was starting. I had been to seminary, had read books, and had been to conferences. I also prayed my heart out and worked very hard. It made so much sense at the time. Yet, looking back, I would do a lot of things differently today.
In 1 Corinthians 4, Paul is pointing, at least partly, to the mystery of not totally knowing what we are doing. Today, for example, I will not get my life, and my faith, 100 percent right. And if I live another ten years, I will look back to this time and realize how much I didn't know, and I'll probably wish I'd had deeper, stronger wisdom.
But God knows exactly what he is doing. He is weaving all of this "not knowing" together as your story, which is part of his story.
This calls for deep humility and total openness with God, from the heart. It calls for daily confession, repentance, and surrender—asking God for wisdom and direction.
Sanctification requires "a broken and contrite heart" (Psalm 51:17). That's what Ron had, and he sought God and wrestled with God, all in a humble and honest way.
Are you doing that too?
Prayer
Lord, I rest in the knowledge that you see me and know me, and that you accept my imperfect efforts! Thank you for your mercies, and lead me on, for Jesus' sake. Amen.