What It Means to Walk Worthy

Before you start todays devotional, ask the Lord to use it to grow you up in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

We’ve been focused on the hope of the coming of the Lord and the motivation that gives us to live a godly life. We look forward to that day in the near future when we will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air.

But in the meantime, our feet are down here on the ground, and we need to do some walking. Let’s talk about that.

Our spiritual life is like walking; all we need to focus on is the next step. “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,” Paul will tell the Colossians (Colossians 2:6). The same faith you expressed when you came to the Lord for salvation is the same faith you need to live the Christian life. To really flourish in the Christian life, you need a personal, growing relationship with Jesus Christ. Every season shows you growing up in grace and in the knowledge of Him. You can’t comfort yourself. You can’t convince yourself about these promises. You’ve got to connect with Jesus and let Him make these things real to you.

When you do, you want to please the Lord and obey His commandments, not because you fear consequences but because you love Him.

God’s will for us is that we will grow up in the Lord, ever increasing in holiness and a desire to love and obey Him. This process is called sanctification—a very wonderful, often misunderstood word. Used like it is here, holiness or sanctification means we’ve been set apart to God. Our lives won’t be perfect as long as we’re on earth, but even here, we belong to God. God’s will for you is for you to be set aside for a holy purpose, for God’s use.

You can’t be involved in sin and at the same time be used of God. Only the Lord can give you the ability and self-discipline to control your body in holiness and honor. People who don’t know God don’t know how to do this. Their lives are a mess—enslaved to all kinds of addictions. God hasn’t invited us into a disorderly life. He wants us to be as beautiful on the inside as the outside.

A child of God is indwelt by the Holy Spirit. He’s the secret to our success. He gives us what we need to live a life that pleases God. He is the Holy Spirit—we long for holiness when He is in control. He’s the only means we have to live for God. We can try on our own, but we’ll fail.

Other practical ways we grow up is when we love our brothers and sisters in Christ. This is also a fruit of His Spirit living in us. Now saints in the first century were just as hard to love as saints today. “Keep getting better at it,” Paul says.

“Invest your time wisely and mind your own business, too.” Paul encourages us to keep busy in activities that tangibly serve God. Roll up your sleeves, and dig into something God can put to good use.

On this side of glory, sometimes we will run and not grow weary, but sometimes we just walk and don’t give up. If you want to grow in maturity, you’ll learn things along the way. God’s will is for you to keep growing up.

If you need encouragement to keep going, think of Jesus Christ the Lord—who He is, what He’s done for you and in your life. Put that on one side of the scale and live in a way that balances out the worth of who He is to you. That’s the idea of walking worthy.

1.Does total dependence on Christ come easy or hard to you? Why?

2.If we struggle to obey God, it may be that we’ve lost sight of our motivation. What areas of your life serve as a reminder that obedience should come from love?

3.In what ways do you need the Holy Spirit to help you love brothers and sisters in Christ?

Additional Resources

Listen to Dr. J. Vernon McGee’s complete teachings on 1 Thessalonians 3:13—4:8 and 1 Thessalonians 4:3-12.