Work in Progress

Have you ever looked at your life and thought, ‘Wow, I’ve got a long way to go’? Maybe you lost your temper, made a mistake, or just felt like you weren’t measuring up. Well, here’s the good news — God isn’t finished with you yet. In fact, He’s working on each of us, day by day.

There’s this classic song called ‘He’s Still Working on Me’ that says, “He’s still working on me, to make me what I ought to be. It took Him just a week to make the moon and the stars, the sun and the earth, and Jupiter and Mars. How loving and patient He must be, ’cause He’s still working on me.”

Isn’t that a beautiful thought? The Creator of the universe is patient with us, molding us into who we’re meant to be.

Our main scripture for today is found in Philippians 1:6 (NLT), and it says this: “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”

We’re all works in progress, and God’s not done yet. So, let’s unpack what it means to trust the process.

We live in a world of instant results — fast food, next-day shipping, answers at the click of a button. But God doesn’t work on our timeline. Growth takes time, and every day is a step in the journey of becoming who He created us to be.

Even Paul in Romans 7 says, “I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.” There is always more to learn and grow in when it comes to our spiritual walk. So, let’s embrace the journey because growth is a lifelong process.

God’s patience with us is a reflection of His love. I am thankful for that patience and love that I do not deserve by any means.

Celebrate small victories. Growth is made up of little moments.

What’s one area where you’ve seen growth in your life, even if it’s slow?

Mistakes aren’t failures; they’re learning opportunities. You may be like me in this — because this was hard for me to grasp in certain areas of my life due to expectations that I would set for myself. It’s not like these expectations were very big, but they were there, and they were a hindrance. It is a journey to let God have control over everything, and it is in our submission that we find out that God’s grace covers every stumble along the way.

When you mess up, don’t dwell on it — give it to God and keep moving forward.

How can you show yourself the same grace God gives you?

God’s timing is perfect, even when it feels slow.

How often have you looked at the time and realized that every time you have looked, it has only been maybe 3 minutes between each glance at the clock? Life feels slow to us sometimes, and we can think that things will never change or the time for that change will be a long time from now. This is why we cannot rely on our own perception of time but need to remember that God’s timing is perfect. Trust that He knows the best path for your growth.

Practice patience by thanking God for what He’s doing, even when you can’t see it yet.

What’s one area where you’re learning to trust God’s timing?

We can get caught up thinking that transformation should be quick, but transformation actually doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a process of surrendering, learning, and growing closer to God every day. The good news? God’s love and patience never run out.

We can be so set in our ways that letting go of control will be hard. Change is hard, but God knows best. Trusting God means allowing Him to shape us in His time.

Start each day with a simple prayer: ‘God, I trust You. Keep working on me.’

What’s one thing you need to surrender to God today?

God doesn’t expect perfection — He wants our hearts to stay open to His work.

Have you ever had a time when you really struggled with patience? Whether it was waiting in traffic or when dealing with someone or something, or how about when waiting on God to give an answer?

Sometimes we can feel like we are constantly on edge. But then something happens, and we are reminded by a word, a song, or just a nudge in our spirit that everything is okay and that God isn’t done with us yet. In that, we find peace and a little more patience. We don’t need to be perfect; we just need to trust His process.

I was reading a devotional, and I read this line. It said, “Repentance isn’t just the singular act of confession that I did something ungodly and need my heavenly Father’s forgiveness for that specific sin; it’s the continual awareness that I will always do ungodly things without God’s guidance and correction.”

God is always working on us.

When have you felt God working on you?

Accepting things can be hard for some — well, it can be for me — and that includes being able to accept God’s grace and mercy. Being a Christ-follower doesn’t mean that things come easier for us; it just means that we have a gracious Heavenly Father who is so patient and kind with us.

I don’t like making mistakes. In fact, everyone generally knows when I make a mistake because I’m not very gracious with myself. I often have to be reminded that God’s grace covers our imperfections. Every mistake is an opportunity to experience His mercy.

When you fall short, remind yourself: “I’m a work in progress, and God isn’t done with me.”

How can you embrace God’s grace in your daily life?

Living as a work in progress means accepting that growth takes time and trusting that God is shaping you daily. It’s not about perfection — it’s about faithfulness.

There is a daily dependence on God that we must learn to lean into.

We need God’s guidance every single day. Relying on Him makes the journey lighter and the growth deeper.

As we walk through this journey of life, our hope can grow through the encouragement of others, and therefore, we should be encouraging as well.

Have you ever been doing something, and someone comes in, and they kind of snap at you? Your first thought is probably, “Whoa, what did I do?” or “What’s wrong with them?” It’s our reaction to that situation that can really set the tone for that whole conversation. We need to always carry this thought with us — just as God is working on you, He’s working on everyone around you.

Show grace to others — they’re works in progress too. Offer encouragement to someone today.

You know, life is a journey — and none of us have arrived yet. Philippians 1:6 reminds us that the work God started in us, He’ll carry to completion. That means every step, every stumble, every moment is part of His plan to shape us into who He created us to be.

If you’re feeling frustrated with yourself today, take a breath and remember: He’s still working on you. And what God starts, He finishes. You are loved, you are growing, and you are right where God wants you.

“He’s Still Working on Me.”