I Can Plod
“Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith,” - Philippians 1:25
It was William Carey, the English missionary to India who’s often called the “Father of Modern Missions, who said:
“I can plod. I can persevere in any definite pursuit. To this I owe everything.”
It turns out that heaven belongs to plodders—to those who put one foot in front of the other. As with missions, there can be a romanticized view of the Christian life that never seems satisfied with modest growth. Perhaps in part, we owe this to some of the edgy books we’ve read. David Platt’s best-selling book “Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream” comes to mind. At least for me, it hits in such a way that makes the ordinary Christian life seem like a failure. I am not making an argument for mediocrity. The Word of God is convicting, and we ought to examine ourselves, push forward with all our might into holiness and obedience. But I’m convinced that Christians are not meant to live in a constant state of shame, feeling like we’ll never be enough. The truth is that when it comes to bearing fruit, modest, over a long period of time, is a harvest.
I love Paul’s encouragement to the Philippians in the opening chapter of the letter. He speaks of progress. That’s what all of us should be aiming at each and every day. Dramatic leaps in the Christian life are rare. It’s forward progress that will carry the Christian home to heaven. Plodding can be unimpressive and slow. Plodding is what the tortoise was doing when the hare was taking naps during the race. What mattered wasn’t his speed, but his persistence. How do you think about discipleship? What if you gave up on being impressive and started valuing ordinary faithfulness? I think it would benefit you in at least two significant ways. First, you would be more joyful. But also, and probably a bit more important, you wouldn’t give up or give in as easily. Because to go radical or bust is to set yourself up for faithful.
