If we are honest, sometimes reflecting Christ to the world can be hard. Due to our own struggles, it can be hard to be a shining light for Christ. Jesus tells us we are His little lights to the world (Matthew 5:14-16). This means that we need to be a light for Christ in this dark world. While it can be hard at times, there are many ways for us to reflect Christ this year. Whether you are a new believer or you have been a believer for a long time, it is still important to try to reflect Christ to the world.
The Holy Spirit is at work in our souls. He is the One who helps us do the right thing and faithfully follow Jesus. At the times when you are struggling, ask the Holy Spirit for His help. He is always more than happy to help you, give you comfort, and give you guidance. Through God’s work in our lives, we will be able to reflect Christ to others.
Here are five ways to reflect Christ this year:
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1. Ask for the Lord’s Help in Prayer
One way to reflect Christ this year is to ask for the Lord’s help in prayer. We can do nothing without Christ, including living for Him. We must have the Lord’s help if we are going to reflect Him to the lost world. Go to the Lord in prayer and ask Him for His help. Be specific in your prayers and tell God the areas you are struggling in. If you are struggling with fully obeying Him, being kind to others, or keeping your temper under control, tell Him. It is better to be honest in your struggles rather than acting as though they do not matter.
God appreciates you coming to Him with your struggles. He knows we are not strong enough to do these things on our own. He is our mighty Helper and He will give us the strength, perseverance, and endurance to improve in the areas where we are struggling. As an example, if you are struggling with anger and this is impairing you to better reflect Christ to the world, ask the Lord to help you cultivate self control as well as ask Him to help you have patience, peace, and calmness. This will help you work on your anger while acknowledging your dependence on God.
Whatever you are struggling with, ask the Lord for His help. He wants you to reflect His love, grace, and mercy to the lost world. The Lord does not want you to live a life in accordance with the sinful nature. We have a choice every day—are we going to live in accordance with the sinful flesh or with the Holy Spirit? God wants us to choose the latter as this is the right thing, what is best for us, and what will bring Him glory.
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2. Apply What the Bible Says
Applying what the Bible says is a second way to reflect Christ to the world. We cannot only read the Bible—we have to also do what it says (James 1:22-25). It does us no good to just read the Bible, put it down, and ignore everything we just read. Instead, we have to read the Bible with intention, meditate on it, keep it in our hearts, and to apply its teachings to our lives. The Bible is not just a book to read. Rather, it is the living Word of God (Hebrews 4:12-13).
If we ignore what the Bible says, we will never be able to reflect Christ to the world. Applying the Bible teachings into our lives will truly change our lives. It will be difficult at times, but nobody has ever said that following Jesus is easier. It is actually the opposite. Following Jesus is very difficult because following Him means going against the sinful nature. This is the constant struggle we are all going through each day; however, we will be choosing the best route when we intentionally choose to follow what God says in the Bible instead of the sinful flesh.
Only by reading the Bible and applying its teachings in our lives will we be able to truly reflect Christ to the world. The Bible is the only book in the world that is the Word of God. It is in our best interest to not overlook this fact. If we truly want to reflect Christ, we have to read the Bible, understand it, and apply its lessons into our lives. The more you read the Bible and apply its teachings to your life, the more you will start to resemble Christ.
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3. Follow the Holy Spirit's Leading
A third way to reflect Christ this year is to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading. As mentioned, there is a constant battle going on in ourselves. The battle is between the sinful flesh and the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul tells us, “For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want” (Galatians 5:17).
As Paul says in this passage, the flesh desires what is contrary to the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit desires what is opposite of the flesh. When we look at this fact, we can see the inner turmoil that is going on in our inner beings. As believers, it is for the best that we follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance rather than the sinful flesh. If we live in accordance with the flesh, we will not reflect Christ to the world. However, if we live in accordance with the Holy Spirit, we will be a better light for Christ in this dark world.
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4. Extend the Love of Christ in Your Actions
Extending the love of Christ in our actions is a fourth way to reflect Christ this year. The Bible tells us that God is love, “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love” (1 John 4:7-8). As the Apostle John tells us, love comes from God, all people who know Christ as their Savior freely love others, and God is love. This is a beautiful truth that we can remind ourselves of everyday.
If we love others as God wants, we will truly be reflecting Christ to the world. If we have been born again, we know that we are a follower of Christ and we love Him. Since we love Him, we need to love others. This includes everyone, regardless of their beliefs, their actions, or their behavior. We are commanded to love all people because God loves them.
Every single person you see throughout your day is a person who has been made in the image of God. Just as you are to love your friends and family, you also are to love everyone else. We cannot say that we truly love God if we hate others. Hate goes against God’s nature and it will not reflect Christ’s love to others. Instead of fostering hate towards others, extend the love of Christ in your actions. This will be a great way to shine brightly for Christ.
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5. Be Merciful—Not Judgmental
A fifth way to reflect Christ this year is to be merciful, not judgmental. Sadly, Christians tend to be viewed as judgmental. As a Christian myself, I can see how many people who are not Christians have accused Christians of being judgmental. This is a sad reality that needs to change. If you have noticed you tend to be more judgmental rather than merciful, it is time to change. You cannot reflect Christ to the world if you are constantly judging people.
God is the One who will judge the world—not you or anyone else. We can trust all judgment to Him because His judgment is just and righteous. Individuals judge others based on superficial matters that are hurtful. Instead of being judgmental, be merciful. Extend kindness and grace in your dealings with others. If you continue to be judgmental to others, it will only be a bad testimony to Christ. Choose to be merciful and kind in your actions, and this will ensure you reflect Christ to the world.
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Originally published Wednesday, 10 January 2024.
