Internal Priority
“Your individuality isn’t erased—it’s redeemed.”
“Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27)
Today’s entry from Abide Above is a gentle but urgent reminder that the Lord is far more interested in forming Christ within us than merely changing the external circumstances around us. The world wants to mold us into something generic—blending in, losing ourselves in the crowd. Even religion, apart from the Spirit, can drive us to imitate others or strive for an ideal that is not unique to our walk. But God never intended to erase our individuality; instead, He redeems it. His goal is to conform us into the image of His Son—yet in doing so, He restores and elevates our uniqueness through the character of Christ within.
T. Austin-Sparks drives this point deeper by reminding us that we often crave divine intervention for us, but true spiritual maturity arises when we realize God is also working in us. It is not simply about getting through trials or rearranging our situations to make life easier. The focus must remain on the inward formation of Christ—this is where the glory resides. We often say, “If only this or that were different, I could thrive.” But God says, “No—it’s not about your setting, it’s about your soul.” He is working patiently and powerfully to form His Son in you, not to destroy your individuality but to fill it with eternal purpose.
Personalized Journal Entry
Written in the voice of the Holy Spirit through Scripture
I dwell in you, and this is your confidence: that the glory of God is not a distant hope but a present reality—Christ in you. Though the world seeks to press you into its mold, I am gently transforming you by the renewing of your mind. You are not called to imitate others but to express the life of the Son in the uniqueness of your own spirit, made alive in Me.
Do not measure growth by the shifting of your surroundings. I am the One who began this work in you, and I will see it through. I do not merely alter your conditions—I conform your soul to Christ. Your setbacks are not detours; they are invitations to deeper union. Your delays are not denials; they are part of the design to draw you into abiding.
Remain in Me, and let My life remain in you. The fruit you bear will not come by effort but by presence—My presence. This is your life now: not you, but Christ living through you. Rejoice, for your spirit is already joined to Mine. The outer man may fade, but the inner man is being renewed day by day. Fix your gaze not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen—what I am doing within you—is eternal.
Scripture References:
Colossians 1:27; Romans 12:2; Philippians 1:6; Galatians 2:20; John 15:4; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18; Romans 8:29
Prayer of Confidence
Father, thank You that You are not waiting for the world to change before You fulfill Your purposes in me. You have already placed the life of Christ within, and You are faithfully forming Him in the unique contours of my personality. I don’t need to chase a better version of my life—I rest in the truth that I have already received the best: Your Son living in me. I trust You to keep shaping me moment by moment, not into someone else, but into the expression of Christ that only You could have imagined through me. I walk forward today confident—not in circumstances, but in Your indwelling work.
Devotional Credit: Abide Above, April 4 – “Internal Priority”
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