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It’s unfortunate that we as Christians take so much upon ourselves for our growth. We try harder. Vow more sincerely. And work more.

But it’s also unfortunate that we as Christians take very little upon ourselves for our growth. We rest on grace. We shun works. We do less.

Both of these approaches are wrong…and they’re right. Our growth is up to us…kind of. It’s up to us to lean into the work that God is doing in us and let Him do His perfect work.

All we have to do is lean in. Submit. Yield. Turn ourselves over to the One who is 100 percent committed to perfecting His work in us. But, let’s be honest, that’s hard work in a world that pulls us to do anything but lean in to God.

God is at work in us. Everything that happens to us is God’s design to create a beautiful work in us.

That’s great comfort to me. And yet it’s also great accountability.

Because if I don’t yield, don’t submit, don’t lean in to the work that God is committed to, I block Him. I stand in His way.

Can I stand in the way of the Creator of the Universe?

Philippians 1:6 says: “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”

And yet, even Jesus had to do something. He had to be obedient for God’s perfect work to be completed.

Hebrews 5:8-9 speaks of Jesus here on Earth. The Scripture says, “Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation.”

I don’t pretend to understand this fully. In fact, I wonder why these verses say that Jesus learned obedience from what He suffered and was made perfect when Hebrews 5:7 says: “In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety.”

Deep things.

Jesus was holy but He still participated in God’s work through obedience. Jesus had to be obedient to participate in the perfection God was working in Him. And Scripture calls us to look to Jesus–the author and perfecter of our faith. So what do we learn from looking to Jesus?

1. There are no shortcuts. Jesus humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the cross. And then God exalted Him. (Philippians 2:8)
2. Jesus had a choice. He chose humility and obedience. (Philippians 2:8)
3. Jesus endured. He despised the shame and difficulty. (Hebrews 12:2)
4. Jesus chose to give His life. (John 10:18)
5. Jesus suffered for a righteous reason–our salvation. (1 Peter 3:18)
6. Jesus cried out to God for help. (Matthew 26:39)

There is no such thing as instant spiritual growth. And there is no such thing as spiritual growth without complete obedience. Such obedience mattered to Jesus and it must matter to us. Our disobedience can keep God’s work from being completed. We can stand in His way through our disobedience.

And I don’t know about you but I hate to think about standing before God some day and Him telling me all the things that He had planned to do in and through me had I only been a willing participant.

God’s calling and work in our life is not optional. It’s not a suggestion. It must be obeyed.