Beholding, Then Becoming
When the mist clears, the face appears, beholding gives way to becoming
Devotional Credit: Abide Above by Miles J. Stanford
Photo Credit: Unsplash
We start so many days measuring ourselves by what we get done, then wonder why our hearts still feel thin. Miles J. Stanford points us to a kinder center. He reminds us that in the early stretch of the Christian life, we tend to chase doing, while the Lord patiently draws us into being. Not inactivity, but a life sourced from Jesus Himself. The shift is not from action to apathy, but from self-driven effort to Spirit-expressed life.
Stanford describes the quiet fragrance that begins to mark a believer who is simply devoted to Jesus. There is less guarding of personal rights and more desire to honor the One who satisfies every hunger. This is not personality polish, it is the Holy Spirit forming the manners of heaven in ordinary moments on earth. Even in pressure, the believer keeps His Word and refuses to deny His Name, not by gritting their teeth, but by leaning into the Life that dwells within.
He also holds up a breathtaking contrast. In creation, a man stood in a garden of innocence. In redemption, the Man stands in heaven in glory, and His glory outshines everything that came before. Many look at that Land of promise, then step back to the familiar, sandy wastes of self-life. The invitation remains, cross over, not by force of will, but by fixation of gaze, beholding the Lord and being changed.
Paul says we behold the glory of the Lord with unveiled face, and in that looking we are changed into the same image from glory to glory. That is the pattern. Look to Jesus. Depend on the Spirit. Let His life do the heavy lifting inside you. Thank you, Miles Stanford, for putting words to this gracious way.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
I turn your face toward My beloved Son, and as you behold Him you are being transformed. I remove the veil, I write on your heart, and I shape you into His likeness from one degree of glory to another. I do this as you remain in Him, and as His risen life remains in you. I have already poured out every spiritual blessing in Him, and I supply all that pertains to life and godliness. I work in you to will and to do My good pleasure, so your obedience flows from union, not from fear.
When your mind drifts to self-evaluation, I guide you back to things above, where the Messiah is seated. Your life is hidden with Him in Me. You died with Him, and you live with Him. I renew your mind to reckon this true, and as you present yourself to Me, I express the life of Jesus in your mortal body. This is the glory of the new covenant, not written on stone but on your heart, not managed by your effort, but animated by My presence.
I form a people, not the isolated hero. Together you are My workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works that I prepared beforehand. I conform you to the image of My Son, and I do not crush the weak reed. I complete what I begin. Fix your gaze on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. As you look, you become. As you abide, you bear. As you trust, I make the fragrance of His knowledge evident through you in every place.
Real-Life Analogy
Think of a fogged bathroom mirror after a hot shower. You can wave your hands at it, but the smear only spreads. Turn on the fan, give it a moment, and the fog clears, and your reflection appears as it is. That is how the indwelling Spirit of Jesus works in real life. When the mirror of your heart feels clouded by pressure or irritation, you do not scrub harder with self-effort. You yield your attention to the Lord within, and He clears the view so that Jesus is seen through you.
A simple, specific moment, during a tense conversation at home, I can sense my tone tightening. Instead of managing myself with rules, I quietly turn inward to the Lord who lives in me and say, Lord, I entrust this moment to You, express Your patience and truth through me right now. Then I proceed. The words come cleaner, the face softens, and the peace is not manufactured. It is Him.
Prayer of Confidence
Father, thank You that in Jesus I already behold the glory that changes me. Thank You for placing me in Your Son, and for placing Your Spirit in me. You have given me every spiritual blessing in Christ. You have provided all I need for life and godliness. Today I gladly reckon myself alive to You in Jesus, and I walk forward trusting Your indwelling Spirit to express His life through my words, my reactions, and my work. I rest in Your faithful love and celebrate the honor of sharing in the life of Your Son.
Scripture References for the Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture Section
2 Corinthians 3:16-18, 2 Corinthians 4:6, John 15:1-5, Galatians 2:20, Romans 6:6-11, Colossians 3:1-4, Ephesians 1:3, 2 Peter 1:3-4, Philippians 2:13, Romans 8:29-30, Hebrews 12:2, Ephesians 2:10, 2 Corinthians 2:14-15, Hebrews 4:9-11, 1 John 3:1-3