Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Alex Rodriguez, Manny Ramirez, and, as of two weeks ago, Sammy Sosa. These are the names of players who were considered some of the best baseball players in the history of Major League Baseball, but were caught or highly suspected of taking performance-enhancing drugs.

Performance-enhancing drugs are substances used by athletes to improve their performance in the sports in which they engage. Thus, these individuals, who were once a sure bet to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame will more than likely be denied admittance. Why? Because they have been accused of cheating. They’ve taken a substance that assisted them in performing far better in their sport than they would have without it.

Unlike in baseball or any other sport, we Christians are encouraged to allow “The Performance Enhancer” to work regularly in our lives (Philippians 2:13). In fact, we are to be confident that He is determined to work in us to produce a “Hall of Faith” (see: Hebrews Chapter 11) performance in our lives.

So stop worrying about the mistakes and failures you’ve made during your Christian journey. Stop trying to perform your God-given purpose through your own natural ability. Because the word “performance” means “toward completion and conclusion”, be confident in this one thing: it is God who started His work in your life by saving you from sin, and He is the same person who will bring the work that He started in your life toward its completion and conclusion.

And I have even better news for you! Not only will He keep at it until the very end of your life, but He encourages you to allow Him to daily enhance your performance. For without Him, you will not make His Hall of Faith (John 15:5). I invite your thoughts!