Imitating Is Imitation

Following Christ is not about imitation but about abiding in Him as He leads the way.

“For to me to live is Christ” (Phil. 1:21).

Many well-meaning believers set out to imitate Christ, striving to act as He would, speak as He would, and respond as He would. The goal appears noble: to be Christ-like. But there’s an essential truth missing from this approach. The Christian life isn’t about imitation—it’s about participation. It is not about us mimicking Christ but about Christ Himself living His life through us.

C.A.F. explains that we learn this truth largely through personal failure. When we attempt to live for Christ in our own strength, we inevitably stumble. Why? Because God never intended for us to produce a holy life through our own efforts. Instead, He has given us His very own life—Christ’s indwelling life—so that He may express Himself through us.

The incarnation, death, and resurrection of Jesus weren’t merely historical events; they were the means by which God provided us with a new nature in Him. We don’t generate holiness by striving to be good Christians. Rather, holiness flows from Christ within, as we abide in Him. This is why Paul declared, “For to me to live is Christ.” He wasn’t attempting to live like Christ—he was simply yielding to Christ, who was living in and through him.

The Church’s true purpose is not found in endless religious activities, but in the formation of Christ within believers. As the Holy Spirit conforms us to His image, we become living epistles—letters of Christ—read by the world. And nothing silences skepticism more than a believer in whom Christ is fully seen.

“But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you” (2 Thess. 3:3). Our transformation isn’t something we manufacture. It is God’s faithful work in us, as we rest in Him and yield moment by moment to His life within.

Journal Entry

Lord, You live in me, and that changes everything. Gone are the exhausting days of striving to be more like You, of trying to muster up love, patience, or wisdom as if they were things I had to create on my own. You are my life—my very source of being—and You express Yourself through me as I simply trust and yield to You.

There was a time when I didn’t understand this. I worked so hard to please You, thinking my efforts would make me more Christ-like. But the more I tried, the more I saw my shortcomings. That frustration, though painful, was a gift. It brought me to the end of myself, to the realization that I was never meant to be the source of godliness in my life. You alone are.

Today, I rest in the truth that I am not called to imitate You but to participate in You. The pressure is off. You are sufficient. As I go about my day, I trust You to live Your life through me—loving, serving, speaking, and moving as only You can. My role is simple: to rest in You and respond to Your Spirit.

And I know You are faithful. You establish me. You complete what You begin. You form Christ in me. There is no striving needed, only trust. No imitation, only Your life flowing through mine.

Thank You, Lord. You are all I need.

Prayer

Father, I trust You completely. You have given me Christ as my very life, and I rest in the sufficiency of His indwelling presence. There is nothing I lack, for You establish me, form me, and express Yourself through me. I reject striving and embrace the simplicity of faith, knowing that You are always faithful to live Your life through me. Thank You for the privilege of being Your vessel. Amen.

Devotional Credit: *Abide Above, March 7 – "Imitating Is Imitation."