Over the years I've been intrigued by the idea that what we need as followers of Christ is a transformation of our desires. The idea comes from some of the great thinkers of the church--Gregory of Nyssa, Augustine and Aquinas to name a few.
The thought works like this: To be human is to crave. What motivates us, what keeps moving is our desires. The problem is those desire have become distorted. We become attached to all the wrong things. Or you might say we love the gifts of God more than we love God, turning his gifts into idols. This distorts our life in countless ways often making us anxious and mean.
The only ultimate satisfaction our cravings will find is in God. Our desires are unlimited; they're infinite. Nothing can match our infinite desires except an infinite God.
Paul points us in this direction in Philippians. "Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call in Christ Jesus." (Philippians, 3:12-14, NRSV) The word for "straining forward" (Gk: epektasis) is an important one for Gregory of Nyssa. He taught that this word captured the Christian's life well. The Christian is one who is straining forward, reaching out, wanting more of the infinite God.
It makes sense. Once you taste the goodness of God, you want more. Your infinite desires can only be matched by a God of infinite love and goodness. I pray your heart will experience God's goodness and grace and so be transformed as you move from one degree of glory to the next.
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