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I wrote on January 6 that some folks try to excuse themselves from doing anything significant for or with God because “my spiritual life isn’t what it should be,” but that’s no excuse since what we do today is what matters: just do the next right thing. 

Here’s another reason why the alleged quality (or lack) of our spiritual life is irrelevant. Peter captures it in the aftermath of the healing of the lame man in Acts 3.

Acts 3.12 (ESV), “Why do you wonder at this, and why do you stare at us as though by our own power and piety we have made him walk?”

When we say, “I can’t do great things for God because my spiritual life isn’t what it should be,” we are saying that we do great things by our own power and piety! If only I spent an hour every day with the Lord! If only I spent 2 hours in prayer like Martin Luther did! If only…

Peter recognized and explained that the healing of the lame man was by the name of Jesus, not by Peter’s power and piety:

Acts 3:16 (ESV) And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.

So go and do the next right thing…in the name and power of Jesus!