Christ Formed in You

My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you.

Galatians 4:19 (ESV)

Too many individuals struggle to discern God's will for their lives. Instead of embracing God's will as an invitation to know and love Him, we have reduced it to a task to complete for Him. God's will is focused on our relationship with Him rather than a specific destination or job. If you study the Scriptures, you will notice that God is more concerned with refining who we are than with determining our future steps.

The emphasis of God's will, according to the Apostle Paul, is to make Christ known to you so that Christ may be formed within you (see Colossians 1:27). You will reflect Christ in your words, actions, and attitude as the truth of Christ's presence and power within you shapes and transforms your heart and purpose.

Imagine for a moment that we are like a cup of hot water, and Christ is like a tea bag infused inside of us. The longer the tea bag steeps in the cup, the stronger it gets. It is the same for us. The more we allow Christ to transform us, the more we experience His grace and ability to change the lives of those around us.

Paul portrays himself as both a mother in labor and a midwife. He grieves for the Galatians because they chose a legalistic lifestyle and lost sight of their new life in Christ. They were stunting their spiritual growth and maturity by adhering to a dead faith. This was due to their reliance on their spiritual achievements rather than Christ's atoning sacrifice for their salvation.

The actions of the Galatians reflect an unresolved insecurity in the gospel. Insecurity, in its way, is a source of pride. This is because it reflects a belief in one's self-righteousness while rejecting God's righteousness as revealed through Christ.

By Pastor Richard Tan, Australia

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