We are people that desire a product more than the process. This statement is readily accepted, for example who really cares about the process that green beans took to get to our table, what matters is that we get to eat them. Though some may enjoy cooking as an end, rarely do we think of the farming, harvesting, marketing and delivery of said beans.
However, if this value system is taken to our spiritual lives we become hopeless, judgmental and ultimately faithless.
In the Christian life the process of becoming is as valued as the end product. Why? Because in Christ we are already perfected, having received Christ’s righteousness and reputation before God. If God valued the product (our glorification) above our process (sanctification) we would be instantly glorified when we accepted him. So we learn that God places a value on the process.
We tend to despise the process. We often pray for peace, love and joy in our lives and in the lives of others, hoping that we will not have to wait long to achieve them. In fact we often judge our selves poorly because the “process” person is no where near the “product” person. While we wait for the product we isolate ourselves from those who are “more imperfect” than those who are closer to “perfection”.
However, God has designed these things to manifest over time, by faith in his Gospel, to be produced by his spirit and not our effort. Rarely do we work this way, we can ask for a changed marriage and be disappointed for 10 or more years. We can pray for the salvation or a family member that may never turn. If we only value the end result we do not experience God in the process. In fact our hearts can grow cold, our faith wanes and joy is distant.
Our effort during the process is demonstrated in resting in his finished work on the cross, waiting for him to conform us into his image and seeing others in the same light; both perfect and in process. In embracing the process our faith remains warm, our hearts are comforted and convicted and daily activities take on depth
