Some days, trying to live a Christ-centred life feels like walking up the down escalator.

You start with good intentions-quiet time, maybe even a little worship music with your morning coffee-but by noon, you’re rolling your eyes at a co-worker, critical of yourself, and wondering why your soul feels more frazzled than filled.

If that’s you, you’re not alone. You’re not a spiritual failure. You’re human.

And maybe, just maybe, you’re forgetting something essential: 
You already have what you need.

Scripture says, “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us…” (2 Peter 1:3). 

If you belong to Jesus, the Holy Spirit is already living within you, not partly, not conditionally, but fully. The process of becoming more like Christ isn’t about getting more of God. It’s about uncovering what’s already been given.

We hold something of immeasurable value: we are made in God’s image, and the Holy Spirit dwells within us. Somewhere along the way, we forget. Life piles on its layers: disappointment, shame, expectations, trauma, a religion that lost its heart. We get crusted over in fear, self-doubt, and striving. Our true identity gets buried under layers meant to protect us, but they end up hiding the glory within.

But the Spirit never left. 

Driving the prairie roads at sunset tells the story better than words. The sky opens wide, painted in amber and gold. Depending on the angle, the sun can look trapped inside a decaying barn. Of course, you know it’s not, but there is the illusion of glory caged in weathered wood and rusted tin.

We’re like that, sometimes. The radiance of God in us gets mistaken for absence because it’s hidden behind what life has built around our hearts. If we could tear down the boards, layers of fear, hustle, doubt, and performance, we’d find the light was never gone, just obscured.

Becoming Christ-like, then, isn’t about striving. It’s about surrender. Less doing, more yielding. 

The Apostle Paul called us “jars of clay,” carrying the treasure of God’s Spirit within (2 Corinthians 4:7). Fragile and cracked, but that’s where the glory shows up. Your weaknesses and imperfections don’t disqualify you. They create openings for the light to shine through.

You don’t need to chase what you already carry. The Spirit is not playing hard to get. He’s not waiting for you to earn an upgrade. He’s simply asking for space. To shine through what’s already there.

So maybe today isn’t about trying harder or getting it all right.

Maybe it’s just about tearing down a board or two.
Letting the light out.

You are not missing anything. 
You already have what you need.

Let it shine.

David Simpson is the Community Care Pastor at Parliament Community Church in Regina, SK, located near Harbour Landing. As a church, we offer programs for all ages, from children to youth, young adults to Seniors who are part of our Heritage groups. We are also diverse in cultural backgrounds but share a desire to grow as disciples of Christ together.