God is in the business of fashioning us as new creatures reflecting the glory of the LORD. As we grow from faith to faith, He fills us with greater measures of His virtue—His character and power—so that He can express through us greater measures of His nature and be glorified through us.
RELEVANCE
This is what brings real joy—greater than satisfaction that comes from indulging the flesh—being a partaker of His nature, glorifying Him. Peter spoke much on this.
“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Peter 1:2-4).
One reason we feel more joyful is because we feel clean before the LORD. We know we are forgiven of sins and the guilt and condemnation the world may try to put on us. We are free to live in the new nature in Christ. We are also set free of fears and healed from the rejection of others; things that act to disqualify and corrupt us.
REFLECT AND RELATE
Ask God to reveal aspects of your character that are still holding onto to things that satisfy and gratify the flesh, as opposed to bringing true glory and honor to God.
REFERENCES
2 Peter 1:5-9