The Vicious Cycle

Yesterday at church, the prosaic point made was “the struggle is real.” The scripture preached on was Colossians 1:24 - 2:5.

One takeaway verse for this believer was, “For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me” (Col. 1:29).

I was reminded of why earlier in my life there are those I can clearly remember who warned and taught me with all wisdom so that I may be presented mature in Christ - to borrow from verse 28. There have been “Pauls” in my life that ministered to me toward this moment — of fervent witness and bold proclamation. Is that what “mature in Christ” means? One day I’ll find out.

But Paul channels the motivation in verse 29 to underscore the point of work, the toil, is because we are filled with resurrection power of belief in Christ — the belief that death was defeated by our Lord and Savior. The toil is vicious and the cycle is unending. We seek after the peace that surpasses all understanding, but there may not be any rest stops on the journey where real peace is sold at the soda fountain. The woman at the well learned that much in John 4… it’s about the living water in Christ that quenches thirst.

So while the struggle is certainly real, the promise in our baptism into Christ is assured. And following him won’t make any of us popular in the here and now, even among believers!

My wife and I were discussing Margaret Thatcher last night, and she recalled this quote, “If you set out to be liked, you would be prepared to compromise on anything at any time, and you would achieve nothing.”

If you find yourself popular among believers, warn and teach them with all wisdom to the contrary, that Christ may win that popularity contest!

And when you’re unpopular with unbelievers or hypocrites, rejoice in the Lord! His struggle was real, until it was really over and accomplished.