Beholding Christ Daily: A Life-Giving Invitation, Not a Checklist
"You don’t have to force yourself to behold Christ. Simply wake up to the reality that He is already with you."
Introduction: Seeing Christ Changes Everything
Life has a way of capturing our attention. Our minds are constantly pulled in different directions—pressures at work, struggles at home, personal failures, the distractions of the world. Even in our spiritual lives, we can find ourselves caught in cycles of striving—trying harder to grow, trying to love God more, trying to fix what’s wrong inside of us. But what if transformation isn’t found in trying at all? What if the key to true spiritual growth isn’t found in our effort, but in where we set our gaze?
Scripture reveals a simple yet profound truth: we are transformed by beholding Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18). Not by fixing ourselves, not by endless self-evaluation, not by straining to be more godly—but by seeing Jesus clearly. The more we see Him for who He truly is, the more our hearts are drawn to Him, and the more our lives naturally reflect His. Beholding Christ is not about religious effort; it is about awakening to the reality that He is already present, already working, already holding us in His love.
So how do we behold Him daily—not as a religious duty, but as a life-giving reality? Let’s explore what it means to fix our eyes on Jesus and let His presence transform us from the inside out.
Now, for many, the phrase “practical ways to behold Christ daily” sounds like another spiritual checklist—one more set of tasks to complete in an already busy life. Read Scripture. Pray. Worship. Meditate. Surrender. If we aren’t careful, we take something meant to be life-giving and turn it into a weight that crushes us under the pressure of doing it right.
But what if beholding Christ wasn’t about checking off boxes but about simply living in the reality of who He is and who we are in Him? What if it wasn’t about striving but about resting? Not about forcing affections but about being captivated by the One who already dwells in us?
This is not an article about techniques—it’s an invitation to embrace the very life of Christ within you.
Beholding Christ is Not About “Trying Harder”
To behold Christ daily is not to take up a burdensome task but to open our eyes to what is already true.
Think about it: Does a child have to force themselves to enjoy the presence of a loving father? Does a bride have to manufacture feelings for her groom? When something or someone is beautiful, we don’t have to try to love—it happens naturally as we take in the beauty before us.
Jesus is already in you (Colossians 1:27). His love is already yours (Romans 5:5). You don’t have to force transformation. You simply live in the reality that He is with you, in you, and fully available in every moment.
So how do we practically live in this awareness?
1. Meditate on the Gospels and the Person of Christ
Somewhere along the way, many Christians have lost the ability to simply enjoy Jesus. We get distracted by theological debates, spiritual disciplines, and self-improvement strategies, but we forget that this whole thing is about Him.
When was the last time you simply sat with the Gospels—not to dissect them for application points, but to gaze at the beauty of Christ?
Watch how He touches the untouchable.
Listen to the way He calls the weary to rest.
See how He silences storms and lifts the heads of the broken.
Feel His tenderness as He washes feet, His anguish as He drinks the cup of suffering, His victorious love as He rises from the grave.
This isn’t an intellectual exercise; it’s beholding a Person. The more we see Jesus for who He truly is, the more our affections are drawn to Him.
2. Spend Time in Worship and Prayer Focused on Christ
Many believers approach prayer and worship as though it were a spiritual chore. We focus on our struggles, our needs, our failures. And before we know it, we’ve spent 30 minutes talking about ourselves with little thought of the One who has already provided everything we need.
What if, instead of fixating on our inadequacies, we simply adored Him?
Instead of asking God to “help you trust Him,” begin thanking Him that He is trustworthy.
Instead of begging for strength, rest in the truth that He is your strength.
Instead of focusing on how much you need to love Him more, delight in the fact that He loves you perfectly.
Jesus doesn’t need our religious efforts; He simply invites us to enjoy Him. When we worship—not out of duty but out of love—we are beholding Christ. And in beholding, we are transformed.
3. Renew Your Mind with Scripture That Points to Christ
It’s easy to approach the Bible as a manual for self-improvement. Many treat Scripture like a list of rules to follow or a collection of wisdom for better living. But the Bible is not first and foremost about us—it’s about Him.
Paul writes,
“He is the image of the invisible God… For by Him all things were created… and in Him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:15-17).
Scripture is not a textbook; it is a window into the very glory of Christ.
The more we soak in passages like Colossians 1, Hebrews 1, John 1, and Philippians 2, the more we see Him for who He truly is. And when we see Him, we cannot help but be drawn to Him.
The goal is not to read the Bible to fix ourselves—it is to gaze upon Christ so that His life naturally flows through us.
4. Walk by the Spirit, Not by Self-Effort
Many believers get stuck trying to “walk in the Spirit” as though it were an act of sheer willpower. They try harder to resist sin, work harder to be more spiritual, labor harder to feel close to God.
But Scripture never tells us to manufacture spirituality. It tells us to abide (John 15:5).
Walking by the Spirit is not about trying to be “more loving” but yielding to the One who already is Love within you.
It’s not about forcing patience but allowing the fruit of the Spirit to flow naturally as you rest in Christ.
It’s not about mustering up faith but recognizing that Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).
Walking in the Spirit is not a matter of effort but of trusting Christ to live His life through us.
Beholding Christ Daily: A Life-Giving Reality
Beholding Christ is not something we have to achieve—it is something we simply wake up to.
Every morning, Christ is already in you. His love is already poured out on you. His presence is already your reality.
The invitation is not to strive—but to simply see.
See Him in the pages of Scripture.
See Him in the quiet moments of worship.
See Him in the daily moments of surrender.
See Him not as an abstract doctrine, but as a Person who lives in you.
You don’t have to work your way into His presence. You are already there.
So take a deep breath. Rest in His love. And behold the One who is beholding you with infinite joy.
Key Takeaways
Beholding Christ is not a checklist of spiritual tasks but an invitation to live in His presence.
We are not transformed by effort but by fixing our eyes on Jesus.
Worship, prayer, and Scripture are not duties but opportunities to see Him more clearly.
Walking in the Spirit is not about striving but about yielding to the life of Christ within us.