“With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith” (2 Thessalonians 1:11).

It’s impossible to imagine a successful Christian life without understanding God’s continuing activity in our lives. “His calling” and “your every deed” cover the stretch of time from our calling to our ultimate achievement in all we set out to do.

Each of us has a desire for goodness. “Desire” describes our longing for what would please us. What would bring us pleasure? It is goodness. How do we achieve it? By the power of God that makes goodness a reality.

A problem for many of us is the feeling that we were initially called by God but now it’s up to us to provide the power for our progress. That’s not the way it is. God’s power fulfills our desire for goodness. God’s power will enable us to accomplish any results we achieve.

From the beginning of our spiritual journey to its end we are dependent on the power of God. When our desires for goodness have been fulfilled and our faith has produced the results we seek we will only be able to point to heaven and thank God who alone has made it all possible.