As Christians, we all want to be more like Jesus. We all know that this life is really about seeking after that one goal, every day, so that others might see Jesus in us and want to come to Him. Here are some practical ways to achieve the goal in your daily life, of making Christ greater and greater, and yourself, less and less. “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 (ESV)
Read the Bible
To be like Him, you have to know Him. How do you know Him? Study Him, and that means studying His teachings and His Word. It means knowing how He treated people, and how He handled life. The only way to do that is to get out that Bible, and read it, every day!
Action
Now that you have the knowledge, it’s time to obey the convictions that the Holy Spirit puts on your heart, through that knowledge and understanding. No more putting it off or pretending not to have felt the conviction. Just go where He is leading you to go and trust that He will show you what to do, when you get there. No more excuses. Just go.
Humility
Humble yourself. Put away selfish ambition and focus on the needs around you. Put other people at higher priority than your own desires. As the Bible says in Philippians, we must count others as higher than ourselves.
Do Right
Don’t go along with what the world tells you is right. Do what you know God has said in His Word is right. This one is hard, but it sets you apart from the World. We have to live in it, but we don’t have to participate in the things of this world that are harmful to our faith.
Be Kind
Walk in love. Show kindness to the people around you, even if they aren’t showing it to you. Stop and learn to recognize people’s pain, and be the one that offers help to those who need it.
Giving Thanks During Trials
Praise God in every circumstance and give Him control of the trials that you are going through. Jesus did this, when He asked God to take His cup from Him, but at the same time, telling His Father that He would do what God asked of Him, regardless of what that was. He trusted the will of His Father and recognized the greater good that would come from His own suffering. As a result, He glorified God and saved every one of us, with His sacrifice.
Unwavering
Be firm and strong in your resolve to follow Christ fully. Don’t waver or get distracted, but keep your focus on God at all times. This takes courage, discipline and sacrifice but is an important step in being more like Christ.
Wisdom
Chose wisely who you go to for advice. Make sure they are grounded in the Word of God, and test everything they give you, against God’s Word. Even the most devout Christian will get it wrong sometimes. It is up to you, to know the Word of the Lord, so that when you hear something contrary to it, you can make wise decisions, instead of following a false path.
Repent
Repent of your sins, once you are made aware of them. Repent means not only to be sorry, but also to turn your back to that sin and no longer follow in that direction. To completely change course, back on the path your Father in Heaven has set out for you. We should all be doing this daily.
Pray
Pray. Converse with God often through the day. He is your strength and your guide through life. You need to talk to Him.
by Christi Brown