READ: JOHN 17:13-19; 2 CORINTHIANS 3:18; 2 PETER 3:9

I waited for my turn at the campground shower stall with my coin ready. After dropping the coin in the slot, I turned on the hot water and began rushing through my morning shower.

As a missionary in New Zealand, I joined a group of students and ministry staff on what we called “Beach Project.” In a resort town over a holiday week, we interacted with vacationers on the seashore in hopes of sharing about Christ. We stayed in tents at a campground during the mission project and aimed to have spiritual conversations with people there too.

Showering at the campsites presented a challenge. For one coin, we got access to a limited amount of hot water. Once the time expired, no more hot water. During those showers, I really needed to hurry.

Sometimes situations in life require that we rush (such as oversleeping for class or work). In my case, limited hot water on a cool morning pushed me to hurry. But God Himself never gets in a hurry, especially with our spiritual growth.

In Philippians 1:6, we read, “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.” God launches that “good work” of transformation in us— making us more and more like Jesus—when we acknowledge our need for forgiveness of sins and put our trust in Christ, believing He died and rose again to secure that forgiveness.

Though our rescue from sin and death happens the moment we turn to Jesus for forgiveness and new life, our maturity is a process. It takes time to “grow up” in Christ.

Romans 8:1 assures us, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” This is good news for us: In Jesus, we’re accepted and loved, right where we are, by the Father who takes His time to grow us and transform us through and through. • Allison Wilson Lee

• Is there an area of your life where you’ve been discouraged by lack of spiritual growth? Consider taking a moment to bring your discouragement to Jesus. In addition to talking to Him, who are trusted Christians in your life you could share your hopes and frustrations with?

• Why is it so important for us to know that we’re fully accepted in Christ while we’re still “in process”?

Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6 (NIV)