Note for the downtrodden and weary

When it seems like you are going through a rough time, I thought I would pass along some encouragement to help you carry on. In Hebrews 10:19-11:2, we find that it is through God's grace, given through Christ's death and resurrection, and God's grace alone that we can "draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful." So we cannot fail Christ if we continue in our pursuit of Him (as Paul reminds us in Philippians 3:12) I love the end of Hebrews 10 where it says, "so do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised... But we are not of thsoe who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved." The so-called Hall of Faith follows this. What is great about the members of the Hall, is that their struggles were real and their mistakes great. I am going through Genesis right now in a Bible study, and time after time, example after example, is of men trying to do things their way, not relying on God's provision, and yet God not only forgives AND blesses them, but does so for no greater reason (and no less reason!!!) than He chooses to. Those who respond properly (by worship and honoring God) share in the blessings, those who do not (by hardening their hearts), find themselves further and further from God's blessings. And then remember how the Hall of Faith is followed, remember to "endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is no disciplined by his father?... No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of RIGHTEOUSNESS and PEACE for those who have been trained by it."
So carry on and let the Spirit continue to work in your heart, to sanctify and consecrate your soul. The Holy Spirit will always reveal our shortcomings because until we are made perfect in Christ, we will always be less than perfect. This is a good thing for us; it allows us to not be content with our level of holiness like the Pharisees but continually pushes us to let Christ work in us to refine us to be more like HIM!!!!
I know that in the past, I have sought to give my life as a perfect sacrifice to God, and since I have never been perfect, I have never felt like what I had to offer was worthy. It was never enough, and never will be holy enough, or righteous enough, BUT what Christ asks for is not 'enough's but instead 'everything's. Give it all and He will make it what He wishes, and that will be far better than anything I can imagine and strive for by my own power. Isaiah 64:6 says "all our righteous acts are like filthy rags." The only true righteousness in what we do is imbued by Christ.
Finally, James writes "every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created."
You are a firstfruit, chosen and nurtured by your Father! How great is that!