At Faith-Centered Mentoring and More we’re convinced  that character development and the quest for Christ-likeness is one of the most important and attainable goals for every believer.  The writer of Hebrews teaches that Jesus was the exact representation of God’s nature (1:3).  In Romans 8:29, Paul states that it is God’s intention for us to be conformed to the image of His Son, Christ.

When people came alongside Jesus, they could see who they were and whom they should try to become.  Believers are called to reflect Jesus and thus the very character of God.  This would be an impossible task except for the God-given gift of the Holy Spirit.  Thanks be to God for the availability of the transforming presence and power of the Holy Spirit in the lives of all who have accepted Jesus.  Paul says, “Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 3:16).

On a practical level, we can discover that the Holy Spirit’s presence in the life of each believer unleashes wisdom, counsel, and guidance through many creative ways.  Consider the following key resources and actions through which the Holy Spirit will help you achieve your goal of Christ-likeness:

• His Word:  2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us that God’s Word is able to equip you to be all you can be for Christ.  This is why it is important to consistently build your character strengths through mentoring and other character building practices which reflect the transforming truths of key Scriptures.

• Godly examples:  Others have gone before you and shown ways that you can live for Him and grow in Him (Hebrews 12:1).  Paul was confident enough to tell others to follow his example (Philippians 4:9, I Corinthians 11:1).  You have the privilege of learning from the godly lives of historical heroes as well as present day mentors as you come alongside them and strive to emulate their Christ-like character.

• Books, websites:  You have plenty of readily available written resources at your fingertips today.  Faith-Centered Mentoring and More offers a wide range of useful tools for developing Christ-like character in the context of mentoring relationships.  Also, feel free to request additional recommended resources that have proven to be helpful for studying and growing in Christ-like character.  One of our partner organizations is Character That Counts started 10 years ago by Janna and Rod Handley.  Check them out online at www.characterthatcounts.org/.

• Songs and meditations:  The Psalms encourage you to sing songs of praise to our Lord and to meditate daily on Him (Psalm 69:30,100:2).  Don’t underestimate the transforming potential of listening to hymns and songs of praise that help draw you near to Him in intimate praise and prayer.  The Psalm writers understood the power of having a fresh source of Spirit-filled music and meditation to help you reflect on the Godly character markers that you seek to integrate into your life.

• Support groups:  Hebrews 10:25 and 3:13 instruct you to continue gathering together as believers and to encourage others in Christ.  Your local Body of Christ is a great resource to help you grow in Christian character.  Contemporary churches are increasingly moving in the direction of developing small groups where the life-on-life impact of meaningful relationships unleashes the renewing work of the Holy Spirit.

• Goal setting:  To achieve any goal in life you first wisely set the goal and then chart out a plan to complete it (Proverbs 16:3).  Jeremiah 29:11 proclaims that God has a plan for your life.  He promises that when you trust Him, He will guide (Proverbs 3:5-6).  This process of goal setting is most effective in the context of consistent discipling, coaching, and mentoring relationships where you can gain the benefits of spiritual direction.

• Self-examination:  It is easy to set a goal and never check up on your progress.  If you have ever tried going on a diet or exercising consistently, it is easy to lose sight of the goal in a short time.  Scripture commands you to examine yourself, your faith, and whether your focus is on staying true to the gospel of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 13:5, I Timothy 4:16).  Genuine self-examination will be most effective with the assistance of a trustworthy, godly mentor and an environment of confidentiality.

RESPOND

• Work through the above material with your discipling or mentoring partners, sharing about the seven types of resources and actions outlined above.  Which tools were most helpful in the past?  Which ones would you like to utilize more?

• Spend some time identifying a couple of the key markers of Christ-like character that you sense are urgent and needed in your life.  The list of the nine fruit of the Spirit may be a helpful resource for this discussion: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control (Galatians 5:22-23).

• Strategize together and create a spiritual development plan for the upcoming week that includes the integration of one or more of the specific resources or actions suggested above.  Target your plan on developing a key strength of Christ-likeness in your life.

• Pray together for the transforming work of the Holy Spirit to be unleashed day-by-day in the week ahead.  At your next meeting, share your experiences.