ChosenRebel's Blog

Saturday Musings

John Piper describes Charles Simeon’s growth in grace this way:

“he ‘grew downward’ in humility
and upward in his adoration of Christ.”

It was this dual and simultaneous growth that Piper attributes to Simeon’s never yielding to bitterness or to the temptation to never leave his congregation for 54 years. This, despite the fact that the first 12 years were filled with reviling, persecution, and disrespect not only from the congregation but from all of his colleagues at the University. He stayed, because he “‘grew downward’ in humility and upward in his adoration of Christ.”

Most modern day pastors and church planters as well all the rest of the body of Christ in America will never experience anything approaching what Simeon experienced but we can learn from his life. What is the secret to enduring through the trials and curveballs of life? How do we thrive in the midst of turmoil, disappointment, and discouragement?

Grow downward in humility.
Grow upward in adoration of Christ.

Thinking deeply on Christ and his sacrifice for us will produce humility. God loves to bless the humble in heart. Why delay another day. Be mesmerized by Christ today.