When it comes to self-improvement and self-help goals and methods, whether we hope to be more physically fit, more socially engaged, more financially successful, more intellectually accomplished, or even more spiritually disciplined, we must take great care. These goals, while they may seem harmless and even good, can swiftly become idols. Instead of pointing us to the only one who will most satisfy us, they can tempt us to focus on ourselves, on our own successes and failures. Then we begin to place our hope and identity in these endeavors.

The problem is obvious when we look at what society advocates in comparison to God's design for our lives. The world promotes self-help, self-improvement, self-reliance. Our culture says, "Get glory by achieving your dreams!" It encourages us to focus on ourselves and our desires in order to find fulfillment—and no wonder, for we are naturally self-lovers (see 2 Timothy 3:2). But God's Word calls His children to self-control, self-denial, and God-reliance. We are to fix our eyes not on ourselves but on our glorious Savior, who deserves all honor and praise.

So how do these two Truths reconcile? How do we both rest in Christ and yet work? Our work is so easily tainted by a desire to achieve a name for ourselves. Even in our work done in the name of Christ, we often either seek to earn the privilege of God's presence—a means of overcoming our own feelings of guilt, shame, and worthlessness—or, the opposite, we seek to improve our circumstances and our image before men by earning God's favor through good works. How do we stop looking at ourselves and our work? How can we stop being so preoccupied with our own successes and failures so that we can rest in our identity as children of God and co-heirs with Christ?

The eternal, glorious transformation that we seek in life only comes as we become so enamored with God that we become not self-helping, not self-loathing, but self-forgetful. For He has promised that He has supplied everything we need to live a godly life—a transformed life—by knowing Him. And He is the one who makes Himself known to us by His goodness and glory—He is the one who calls us out so that no one can boast before Him (see 2 Peter 1:3, John 6:44, 2 Timothy 1:9, et al.).

The more we know Him—the more we contemplate His majesty, holiness, perfection, love, mercy, and grace—the more we will be satisfied in Him so that we don't even note our sacrifices, whether to take pride in them, begrudge them, or lament their inadequacy. For, they are no longer sacrifices in the light of the joy of being with Christ; they no longer depress us with their insufficiency because we see that Christ is our sufficiency (see Colossians 2:10). The more we rest in Christ, the more we grow in faith, setting our hearts and hopes in Him alone. And when that happens, we begin to walk in obedience not to achieve something for ourselves but because God is our focus and delight.

Never forget: You were dead in your sins. You could not help yourself. But then God, who is rich in mercy, made you alive in Christ because of His great love (see Ephesians 2:1-13). It has always been His work, never yours. Our faith is not from ourselves; it is God's gift (see Ephesians 2:8-9). And with faith that trusts God for every need and victory, God so changes our hearts that, from our rest in Him, we naturally pour out His peace and love in service to others around us to the glory of God, the author of our faith.

We will not always live out this beautiful balance of resting in God so that our endeavors and achievements bring Him glory. We will struggle with our flesh that wants us to earn our audience with the King. But by coming to the cross moment by moment, confessing our need for God, and looking to Him for fulfillment, we can rest in Christ and let our lives be living sacrifices to God. He has given us both the ability and the will to do so by His Spirit.