The Journey from Striving to Beholding
David had been a Christian for over twenty years. A dedicated churchgoer, he led Bible studies, served in multiple ministries, and was known for his theological depth. But beneath the surface, David was exhausted. He constantly measured his spiritual growth by his ability to resist temptation, his consistency in prayer, and his faithfulness in ministry. If he stumbled, he doubled down on self-discipline. If he felt distant from God, he tried harder. The Christian life felt like an endless treadmill—running but never arriving.
One evening, after leading a study on Romans, a young man in the group asked a simple but piercing question:
“David, do you actually enjoy your relationship with Christ?”
The question hit him like a thunderclap. Enjoy? His relationship with Christ was something he worked at, something he strove to maintain, something he was afraid of failing at—but enjoy? He didn’t know how to answer.
Later that night, he opened his Bible and read 2 Corinthians 3:18:
“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”
The words felt foreign to his experience. Beholding? He had spent his whole life striving to become more like Christ. But this passage didn’t say "work harder." It said "behold."
David dug deeper into the Scriptures and found the same truth echoed:
John 15:5 – "Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing."
Galatians 2:20 – "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me."
Colossians 2:6 – "As you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him."
The realization was both freeing and unsettling. Had he been living the Christian life all wrong?
That night, David surrendered—not in the sense of another attempt at striving, but in resting. He prayed:
"Lord, I see it now. I trust You to live Your life through me. I’ve been trying to do what only You can do. I fix my gaze on You. Transform me as You see fit."
The days and weeks that followed were unlike anything he had ever known. Peace replaced pressure. Joy replaced duty. Rest replaced anxiety. Instead of striving to become, he simply beheld Christ and trusted Him to do the work. His love for Scripture deepened, not as a manual for self-improvement but as a revelation of Christ’s sufficiency. Prayer became less about requests and more about fellowship. Service became an overflow rather than an obligation.
David finally enjoyed Christ.
And for the first time in decades, he was truly being transformed.