Spiritual Awakening – Page 3 – Finding Total Recovery in the Words of Christ, "It is Finished!"

A tiny green tomato on the vine is a perfect tomato, although it does not have the color, flavor, or texture of a fully ripened tomato. The tiny green fruit is perfect, but it is not yet useful for its intended purpose. If it remains on the vine, the perfect green tomato will grow into its full potential. And throughout each stage of its growth, it will continue to be perfect.

Thus, we conclude that perfection is about potential. Perfection has little to do with current behavior or ability, but a lot to do with our mindset. Perfection is a state of being which maintains continuous momentum toward progress.

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Tetelestai Recovery

Jesus’ Call to Perfection: Rethinking What ‘Perfect’ Really Means

September 21, 2026September 19, 2026 lastwordrecovery

If Jesus calls us to be perfect, but we say, “Oh no. I’m not perfect. Let’s be realistic, I will never be perfect,” then we are dismissing His invitation to venture into a new mindset and a leveled-up form of existence.

Before we can take that leap of faith though, we need to address this issue of perfection and what it really means. Can we trust God to bring us to a point of perfection? Can we believe that Jesus wasn’t just using performance hyperbole when He said we could be perfect like the Father?

Declaring Christ’s Finished Work: Living Philippians 1:6 Today

September 20, 2026September 19, 2026 lastwordrecovery

“Being confident of this very thing, that he, who hath begun a good work in you, will perfect it unto the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)

It feels awkward to say we are perfect. We aren’t quite sure how to align the character qualities of honesty and humility with such a bold statement. It seems like a brag and a lie.

But, if we remove the dimension of time, we can most assuredly say that somewhere in time, it has happened. Therefore, we step outside of time and claim it now. We call out what God has promised and continue declaring it until the truth becomes our reality.

Learning to Live with Imperfection While Longing for More

September 19, 2026September 18, 2026 lastwordrecovery

We are perfectionistic by nature and refuse to give ourselves permission to fail. Therefore, we say, “I’m not perfect,” to soften the impact when crashing into our own imperfections.

We also use the phrase, “I’m not perfect,” to preface a judgmental statement like, “I know I’m not perfect, but I would never do what he did.”

We long for perfection. This is a normal desire, since we believe that it will be our reality someday. But what do we do in the time between now and then?

How can we be perfect in such an imperfect world?

Have We Been Delusional in Our Spiritual Journey?

September 9, 2026September 4, 2026 lastwordrecovery

We still find it difficult to be joyful in these quiet times of testing. We prefer excitement and enthusiasm. It is easy to stay faithful when we are bombarded with supernatural events and scriptures that jump off the pages. It is natural to stay connected to God’s plan and purpose when we see growth and progress at every turn. It is effortless to love God’s presence when we feel the warmth of His love envelop us like a hug from heaven.

The testing times are not so easy to enjoy. We doubt ourselves. We doubt God. We doubt our progress. We doubt our faith. We wonder if our faith is just a delusion and the changes we experienced were not real at all. We flail around in an emotional free fall and without the support of our spiritual siblings, our minds may wander into a dark place.

When caught up in a moment of testing, we must resist letting our feelings and circumstances serve as a litmus test for our faith. It is not healthy, nor is it accurate.

Finding God in Silence: Embracing Spiritual Tests

September 8, 2026September 2, 2026 lastwordrecovery

Weary adventurer slumped at tavern table holding an empty tankard

Previously, these difficult times had been dark and made us doubt our relationship with God. We were frustrated to find Him so distant when we needed Him the most.

However, when we begin to view these events as a process which increases our patience and equips us for the next level, we start to see their value. We no longer need to feel frustrated when God goes silent. A good teacher is always silent during a test.

Thanks to the book of James (and our brother by the same name who shared this passage with us), we are learning to identify our spiritually ‘blah’ times as simple tests. These tests are challenging and exhausting, but they mark the completion of one level which advances us to the next.

Signs Our Faith is Being Tested

September 7, 2026September 2, 2026 lastwordrecovery

What is the Testing of Our Faith?

When our feelings betray us and tell us we don’t love God like we should.
When our behavior slips into an old pattern and makes us believe we have not changed.
When the excitement and enthusiasm we once had for God seems dull and muted.
When we just don’t care about trying so hard, because it’s too much work.

Journey to Spiritual Fulfillment: Acknowledge the Struggles

September 4, 2026September 1, 2026 lastwordrecovery

As we release our addictions with the words of Jesus, “It is finished!” and settle comfortably into our new normal, we feel gratitude beyond words. The dysfunctions we struggled with in the past are fading in the distance. We are on firm footing and making solid progress.

Sometimes we make really good progress and are pleased with the distance we cover in such a short time. We feel that our relationship with God is in great shape, and we are motivated by our sense of accomplishment.

At other times, however, we feel as if we were trudging through mud, putting one foot in front of the other, lacking any drive or inspiration. We feel inadequate, overwhelmed, and disinterested. During these times, we don’t feel so great about our relationship with God. We assume He is disappointed with our lack of energy and enthusiasm.