Life is Learning
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity.
2 Peter 3:18
Learning is part of life and we begin learning in our early years. We learn from our parents, twelve years of school, and maybe further learning in college or learning a skill in order to provide the needed finances to live. Our job may require continual learning because changes are occurring in technology, equipment, and procedures. This type of learning is temporary, we finish school, and someday we will retire, then what happens to our need to learn? What learning is there that is fulfilling throughout our life, to our last breath?
Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:29) The most fulfilling and most rewarding learning is continually learning about our Lord, both from reading his Word and experiencing him in our life. He changes our heart to the heart of Christ, and for the first time we really see ourselves as God created us to be. We now live our life the way we were created to live, and we are guided by the Holy Spirit, making life exciting and challenging. Walking with the Lord is continual learning because there is an infinite amount of things to learn about God and ministering to others.
Now what happens if we stop learning? Is it possible to walk with the Lord and be pleasing to him if we are not learning? If we stop learning we stop growing spiritually and we can very easily become complacent. Therefore, for this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:5-8) Christians are continually learning and growing in their knowledge of the Lord and in their knowledge of ministering to others. If we are not growing in our knowledge for ministering to others then we will not grow in our knowledge of God. Learning about God feeds our mind and ministering to others feeds our heart.
The reward of learning more about our Lord is exciting and fulfilling; and fills us with love, peace, and joy as we overcome our selfish desires and the infection of sin. It is very rewarding to minister to others and to see the Spirit changing our hearts, and it’s rewarding to see the Spirit making us more Christ-like, overcoming any learned behavior that is displeasing to the Lord.
Today seek to learn something new about the Lord and about ministering to others. You may read the Word for new insight, or read a Christ-centered book on helping people with problems such as fear, anger, addiction, or their distorted view of God. Pray for guidance by the Spirit and you will learn God’s ways and God’s timing, as you learn to see life more from God’s spiritual perspective and less from the worldly perspective.
Prayer: Today, Lord, I desire to see every situation from your perspective, to see from the spiritual view and not the worldly view. The more I can see life from the spiritual view the more I can understand your ways and your divine wisdom. Help me to always learn more about your ways and your timing, and to see life from the eternal perspective, knowing the events of this day have eternal consequences. In Jesus’ name, Amen.