The Christian life is a process of building. Jude says, “Building up yourselves on your most holy faith” (verse 20).
Growing in grace and in the various attainments of the spiritual life, is a slow building-up process.
We often hear of people edifying and building up others, of helping those about them — but it is as important that they help themselves.
They expect to be built up by their brethren, by preaching, by the prayers of others, by exhortations, encouragement — but the Apostle puts our building up where it rightly belongs — most largely with ourselves.
When we start to build, the first thing we need is a good foundation. Jude tells us what foundation we need: “Building up yourselves on most holy faith.”
Some people try to build themselves up on their emotions.
When everything is going well — they build a structure of courage, determination, hope, expectation.
But presently reverses come — and their building comes down with a crash.
Their courage is gone, hope is clouded, and their expectation is pointed.
Only faith provides a solid foundation which we may build a structure that will the storms.
By the grace of God we have power to build up ourselves in faith, courage, love, hope, gentleness, meekness, goodness, strength, and all the other elements of Christian character.
We largely are — what we make ourselves.
An experience David once had gives us a good example of how a man can help himself when he is in trouble.
In First Samuel 30, we are told how David and his men, who had gone out to war, came back and found their city destroyed and their wives and children taken captive.
This was a critical situation. The whole blame was thrown upon David, because he had led his men out to war and left the city unguarded.
“And David was greatly distressed; for the people spoke of stoning him” (verse 6).
What did David do in such a crisis? Sneak off like a coward and hide?
No, he faced the situation like a man.
When everyone was finding fault with him and speaking evil of him, “David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.”
What was the result? He pursued after his enemies, defeated them, and recaptured all that had been lost.
If you have met with a defeat, if you have been blaming yourself, and others have been blaming you — do not get downcast.
Encourage yourself in the Lord your God.
In the forty-second Psalm, David tells another of his experiences.
In the third verse we read, “My tears have been my food day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is God?”
David must have felt depressed indeed.
“My soul is cast down within me. All your waves and your billows are over me.”
What did he do? He looked forward and saw a brighter day:
“Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”
An example of a person hindering himself is found in Elijah, when he bewailed his situation and thought that he alone was left in Israel to worship God.
We may look on the dark side, and discourage ourselves.
Some people are always finding fault with themselves.
Such attitude is unjust.
Of course, you have faults and failures — everyone does; but instead of criticism, adopt a positive attitude.
Try to correct your faults and profit by your failures. “I can” wins; “I can’t” loses.
Believe God will take care of you in time of danger — believe God will bring you through your troubles.
By doing these things, you will strengthen your heart to meet your difficulties.
But one may say, “You do not know my troubles.”
No, but I know your God.
Some have written me lamenting over their situation.
What shall they do?
“Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the LORD!
I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!
The Sovereign LORD is my strength!
He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.” Habakkuk 3:17-19.
Thus the prophet built up himself.
And so may we if we will exercise real faith in God.
Charles Wesley Naylor is considered one of the most prolific and inspiring songwriters of the Church of God. He was bedridden for much of his adult life but wrote eight books, a newspaper column and more than 150 songs. Many of his writings are in the public domain.
