Lately, I’ve become acutely aware of my imperfections. As those of you who spend time around me can attest, I can be pretty impatient, self-centered, even confrontational (as Lucy and Dylan recently witnessed! Sorry you had to see me embarrass myself, guys!) It shames me to admit it, but it would be accurate to say that I’m often a man divided: the man I want to be is constantly at war with the man that I am. This is a painful reality to acknowledge, especially for someone who does a whole lot of talking about Jesus and the Kingdom.

Although I continue to vacillate between these two identities, I’m glad to say that the man I’m becoming is winning the battle more often than the other guy. I think that’s the definition of discipleship. I wish I looked more like Jesus, but I’m glad He’s being formed in me. All of this causes me to pray that today will be lived for Him, not for me. The path of spiritual maturity seems to be, at least in my life, a gradual sort of refinement.