“Anyone who wants to abide in Him should strive to function in the same manner He did. (1 John 2:6)
The Christian faith is a very personal spiritual journey. It’s something you can learn and live out to be experienced fully. Participating in spiritual practices that help you connect with Christ more profoundly than simply being “religious” is one way to deepen and emulate Christ.
We should strive to carry the cross, symbolizing Christ’s sacrifice, love, and mercy. The cross represents the ultimate act of obedience: to die for our sins on the cross so we can be forgiven. It also represents redemption, which means to set someone free from slavery or captivity; to repay someone who has done you wrong.
As a child, I remember being told that we should strive to become more like Christ. The idea was simple: by imitating Christ’s example, we could become more like him in our lives and be happier people.
But what does it mean to become more like Christ? How do you do it? And most importantly, why should we try?
Read the Scriptures
“My God, may you teach me Your way, and I will walk in Your truth. Make my heart afraid of you. Take me to the way of Your commands, where I will find joy. ” (Psalms 86:11)
“Your word is the lamp to my feet. A guiding light for my path” (Psalms 119:105)
“The word of God is inspired by Himself, a good resource for teaching correction and training in righteousness.” (2 Timothy)
The words of Scripture are like windows into God’s heart, so it’s always good to read them in context. Reading and studying the Bible can help you understand more about faith, life, and God.
The scriptures are filled with examples and teachings that will help you learn how to become more spiritual, faithful, righteous, and Christ-like. Reading them also helps build your faith in God’s plan for our lives on earth and in Heaven after death.
Admit Mistakes and Forgive Others
“If we confess the sins we have committed, God is faithful and will forgive us and make us clean from corruption. “ (1 John 1:9)
Repent, and your sins will be taken away. (Acts 3:19)
” Be kind and passionate about one another. Forgive others like how God did for you. “ (1 Ephesians 4:32)
Admitting mistakes is a sign of strength. It shows that you’re willing to take responsibility for your actions. It’s also a sign of maturity, honesty, and integrity—the traits Jesus demonstrates in his life.
Admitting we’ve done something wrong means we have enough courage to admit it honestly rather than try to cover up or hide from our faults, so they don’t appear on others’ radar screens (or even our own). Admitting mistakes is often the first step toward taking positive action toward correcting them.
The other step is to forgive others. This can seem easy, but it’s not always easy to do. Make a conscious effort to remember that forgiving is letting go of their actions/mistakes while still holding onto their humanity. If feelings are attached to one incident or another from years ago (or even shorter periods), then consider how those feelings impact how we interact with others today.
Pray and Fast
“Be alert and keep praying so that you may overcome temptation.” (Mathew 26:41)
“And He taught them, using a parable, to always pray and not to lose heart.” (Luke 18:1)
A strong Christian is found on prayer. Praying is one of the most important things you can do to become more like Christ. By praying in Gethsemane (Mark 14:32), Jesus set a good example.
Start the day by thanking God for all he has given us during the night and praying that he will continue to bless us with his gifts each day. Then ask him for guidance on how best to spend your day so that it’s meaningful and productive towards accomplishing his purposes in our lives.
Come Closer to Christ by Using our Property to Serve Others
“Anyone kind to someone in need will lend to the Lord and receive a significant reward for their efforts.” (Proverbs 19:17)
“In the same way, shed light so that it may be bright for others. By this, they will be able to glorify the Father in Heaven. “ (Mathew 5:16)
“I urge you, brethren, to give warning to those idle, encourage those weak in heart, and be patient with each one of you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:14.)
Be merciful and a great resource to one another. “Mercy” is the quality of being kind, compassionate, and forgiving. When you are merciful toward others, you act according to God’s nature—a nature we all share because we have been created in His image (Genesis 1:26–27).
When we serve others, we are doing what He would do if He were here in our place. Jesus accomplished this by performing miracles to the poor. He freely raised the dead, fed the hungry, and set free those in bondage.
Simple acts such as feeding the hungry, visiting the sick and praying for them, caring for the needy neighbor, and visiting those in prison are good ways to express our nature as Christ’s followers toward others. Another way is by giving tithes and offerings (Malachi 3:10). These two show we are the truest to God with our material wealth, which can facilitate His work.
Recognize Your Divine Potential and Be Pure in Your Heart
“Every person in this universe has had a mind and spirit put into them by God. With this, one can be able to get and implement the truth. “ (John 3: 1-3)
“Be free from youthful desires and search for righteousness, love, peace, and faith” (2 Timothy 2:22)
“Come to Him with a pure heart and confident faith. Let our hearts be clean from evil thoughts, and our bodies cleaned in pure water.” (Hebrews 10:22)
We have a divine spark that can only be accessed by recognizing our equality as children of God. This means everyone has access to all knowledge, wisdom, and understanding through human nature—the same way Christ did.
Purity of heart means you should not have impure thoughts, words, or deeds. . A person who is not pure in their mind cannot be saved because they have no faith in Jesus Christ as his Savior and Lord (John 15:5).
They will continue to wander around lost until they finally give up trying to find God’s forgiveness through repentance from their sins before him (2 Tim 2:25; Hebrew 10:26).
Become Humble, Exercise Self-control, and Be Self-reliant.
“Know that your faith bears fruit before God. Better is the one who doesn’t condemn himself for whatever he agrees. This means our sufficiency comes from God.” (Romans 14:22)
“We are more conquered through Christ, who loved us” (Romans 8: 37)
Humility is a virtue that helps us to be better people. Humility does not mean weakness. It’s not being a doormat, a pushover, or a do-nothing. We are to have pride in our Savior, but we must also be humble because he took on our nature when he died for us.
As a Christian, you should also be self-reliant. This means being hardworking and able to do things for yourself without having to depend on others to solve your problems.
Pray This Prayer
Dear God, I am grateful for who You are. You are an amazing God, and Your goodness is upon me today. Thank you for teaching me what you expect me to be so that I may be like You.
May you change my mind and heart so I can follow in your footsteps. Please help me to be obedient. Give me Your Holy Spirit to guide me in what I do. Give me Your self-control and wisdom concerning Your word. May you discipline me and help me to have a caring heart toward others.
Please help me not to get tired while doing good and at the same time being humble. Thank you for being willing to hear my prayer. I pray in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.