Change is something everyone desire and need. It’s an ongoing part of life. Life in itself demands adjustment for our schedules and plans....The problem here is instead of allowing God to change us, we try to change ourselves. The more we try, the more failure we experience and we begin to feel frustrated in the journey and blame God, others but not ourselves.
At the beginning of the year or during our birthdays and anniversaries, we always desire to change something about us. Most times we can’t exactly pinpoint what it is or where to start. Our subconscious minds keep telling us something needs to change if we must move forward. Some people know what is in their life that must change but don’t know how to start; probably they must have tried that way several times in the past and failed to move to the next level. Some are even afraid to start again, while others are confused and may decide to settle in their mediocrity. Somehow, somewhere they know they are not where they want to be and inside of them, they need more of the Lord of their salvation or need to turn around and meet Him as a person and Savior. As I celebrate my birthday this October, my heart cry to God is, I want more of you and Lord renew me and change me. I don’t about you……You may have gotten to where you are comfortable and satisfied and need no more change. That’s good! But remember the race is not finished until we get to Final victory.
We can say oh God change me but we want to remain in the same old neighborhood. We kind of like it and just want its convenience. Too often we are concern about what neighborhood we live in than really allowing God to change us. We simply compare ourselves with what we used to be and feel comfortable and mini-satisfied. Yet our self-pleasing spirit does not want real change. It simply wants quick fix or miracles to happen. As much as it is good for the neighborhood to get better or improved – wearing new look outside, yet inside the house may need serious work to be done. The work in the neighborhood may include: redesigning the patios, planting flowers, trees and plants in different areas and repainting or remodeling the outside but we still need to do some stuff inside. When we start fixing the inside, we change so many things thereby acting as Interior decorator. The problem here is instead of allowing God to change us, we try to change ourselves. The more we try, the more failure we experience and we begin to feel frustrated in the journey and blame God, others but not ourselves.
We come to a point where we no longer concern with changing the neighborhood or the house but ourselves. “I want to be with You, crave more of you, not of ourselves or of our neighborhood but more of God.” Each day, everyone’s heart cry would be “I want You to make me more like You; make me more like Christ.” We got to know that life is worthless and pointless without God. God’s purpose is to draw us out of the world, out of our neighborhood, out of our houses…into a place where God is always…. and wants us to be with Him.” “We know we have join Him in an intimate relationship because we live out His commands…..anyone who says, “I live in intimacy with Him, should walk the path Jesus walked (1 John 2: 3, 6). Until a person truly relinquishes their control to the Lords will and destiny for their life, things will never change….Saying that you want to change is idle words except God is the person in charge of doing the changing in a person’s life.
Change is something everyone desire and need. It’s an ongoing part of life. Life in itself demands adjustment for our schedules and plans. However, people’s spiritual lives call for more than slight changes to the calendar and needs transformation. In every spiritual change, God begins, processes and pilots it. It is God who is working in you. He helps you want to do what pleases Him and He gives you the power to do it” (Phil 2:13). “God is always at work in you to make you willing and able to obey His own purpose” (Good News).
- God works in us:
- to prompt the desire;
- Give us the power to please Him;
- God walks in us before He can work through us.
Real change begins with New Life
The event of salvation is best described as the beginning of a journey in which God commences His work in us that will lead to life change. – 2 Corinthians 5:17 (being saved or born again)
Two processes take place:
a) That leads to our conversion’
b) That moves us towards life change.
When we gives our lives to Christ:
– Our eternal destiny is altered,
– There is a radical re-orientation of priorities,
– There is a New life purpose and
– There is the indwelling Holy Spirit.
– At salvation God establishes a beachhead and
Total occupation (change) comes as we yield our bodies to do His will or keep His commands (Eph 2:10).
Entering into Real Change Process:
God has predestined us to be changed into His holy image (Rom 8:29). Todd wrote, “Change and being conformed into the image of Christ requires a broken and constantly repenting heart. It is essential component for the wise-virgin believer in readiness for the return of the Bridegroom for those who are being washed/purified by the blood and the word; those who behold….”the glory of the Lord” are changed into His image …from glory to glory (2 Cor. 3:18). The life of seeking the face of the Lord and repenting of any sins and wrong beliefs is essential to growing in the Lord and His conforming us to His perfect image. A life with the Savior is one of constant change and transformation which is made possible by regular repentance before the Lord of life.
Beginning the Change process:
Some would want to start on the outside:
– To look slimmer
– To be taller or shorter
– Look better: facelift, flat stomach…etc
What would you attempt to change?
– Your eyes, your hair, your teeth, legs or bulges
We go through time/period; we desperately want something to change unto outward appearance.
Teens and ladies live in a state of constant fear that they don’t look good enough and try this that to make them look cute. They fashion according to hip-hop artist appearance or what modelist wear on TV shows. Others buy and peruse Fashion Magazines and copy the way they dress. Until you finally reach the stage of life where it’s easier to simply try to cover it up than to lose it, you continue to search and seek for makeup. But as hard as it’s to change on the outside, it seems infinitely harder to change in the inside. People change very slowly if they change at all.
Consider the struggles you have undergone in life, what would you like to change about yourself on the inside? Is it your doubts, fears, anger, grief, grudge, un-forgiveness, confusion, pride, insecurities and dissatisfaction/contentment? Could it be how we perceive God even in our difficulties and unbelief? How we doubt God’s sufficiency and availability (always present) even when we don’t see Him or feel Him, He’s always there. In time of spiritual dryness, and stagnancy or delay, we should learn to trust in His presence and in His promises. We should hold unto His words when your feelings fail you or situations do not seem God’s presence and able.
- There will be no change except there’s a renewing of mind. You have to change YOUR THINKING PATTERN because as a man thinks, so does he act (Prov. 23:7). Real change starts from inside out. Little wonder Apostle Paul addressed the saints in Rome and today’s believers: Rom 12:1-3.
- True and proper worship: The trust and deepest act of worship is to trust God even when our feeling is saying the opposite. In recognition of the mercies of God offer your bodies not only as living sacrifice but it also must be holy and pleasing to God.
- Do not conform to the pattern of the world: Living on feeling, but in purity and holiness. Sacrifice the body to give room for the Spirit to duel and act. Let go your flesh and let God rule it through His Spirit.
- Transformed by Renewing of mind: We come to worship God for His Spirit to touch and influence us and change us. The word of God (as we hear, read and meditate) points where we allowed the body to rule over the Spirit and challenge us to come to the place of realization and surrender (by the renewing of the mind) resulting to transformation (change).
- God’s will is to be tested and approved: that it works for those who accept His word and act on it, not only to hear and read but to act and approve:
*good,
*pleasing, and
*perfect. - God’s grace is available to every believer and gift given to each person. Hold unto gift and use it to serve the body of Christ. Do not consider your gift higher than another for they are distributed to the benefit of the whole body.