Defending the faith, encouraging others in their faith, watching the Lord bring others to faith; these are the things a Christian apologist yearns to do and see. From the moment we’re saved, sanctification is taking place in us as the Holy Spirit works on our weaknesses, molds us into someone more like Jesus, and gives us the ability to look back on our walk. I don’t know about you, but looking back on my walk is both an encouragement and a disappointment.
Yes, God pulled me from the pit of human depravity, and yes, I can see that I am more like the person I ought to be than I was on day one, BUT I’m still human and I still fail on a daily basis. Having children in our family has amplified that awareness. Those failings are a reminder of my need for reliance on Jesus and they help me to focus on improvement for future days.