No Other Option Except to Change

 

CHANGE

Listening to Wild at Heart from John Eldredge in the car driving to work I had a thought: there is probably no other group of people who are more prone to change than true Christians, not in morals and beliefs, but personal change, you know, change of the heart. For when the Light of Jesus Christ enters your heart, It drives out darkness and this darkness are things like transgressions, sin and sinful desires, perversion, selfishness, bitterness, wrath, idolatry and the list keeps going. It does not mean that you don't struggle with these things, but you have a heightened sense of its existence and influence in your life.

We are told in Luke 6:43 - 45 [NASB2020]

"For there is no good tree that bears bad fruit, nor, on the other hand, a bad
tree that bears good fruit. For each tree is known by its own fruit.
For people do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they pick grapes from a briar bush.
The good person out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the
evil person out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which
fills his heart."

Anyone that has undergone change, knows that it is painful and difficult, yet possible by the grace of our heavenly Father through the working of the Holy Spirit. It is compared to the action of pruning a tree as is written in:

John 15:2 [NASB2020]

"Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit,
He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit."

Pain of course is not the only attribute of change and by no means the goal.

Growth is what is required and the outcome. No person who has met Jesus will remain the same.
It is written that we were once dead in sin but are now alive to God in Christ Jesus by His death on the
cross and resurrection.

Ephesians 2:1 [NASB2020]

"And you were dead in your offenses and sins,"

Romans 6:11 [NASB2020]

"So you too, consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus."

The image above shows a sign on a door and that is so appropriate. Change does not happen TO you,

your circumstance or surrounding may change, but ultimately it's your choice to change,

I don't mean compromise, but real change. It is only you that can walk through the door, it is only you

that can put in the work required to change and all this can only be done by the grace and power

of our great God. This is a confronting, yet comforting fact, because it does mean that we are not going

through things on our own. We are not left to our circumstances to face the tough times by ourselves

even if it feels like it.

Hebrews 13:5c [NASB2020]

"for He Himself has said, 'I will never desert you, nor will I ever abandon you,' "

In conclusion, don't be afraid of personal change and transformation, rather embrace it. Not just because of the process, but who you are becoming. When you know WHO (Holy Spirit)
is changing you and into whose image you are turning into (Jesus Christ), you will be blessed.

PRAYER

Lord God, it is hard to try and understand all the things we go through that are difficult, trying to make
sense of things when there appears to be no logic, but thank You God that you know better and that Youhave good things planned for us. You are forming our character, transforming our inner person to theimage of Christ. Please help us to be of good courage and to face the challenges with a hope that You
will deliver us and that You will surely not leave us. We pray this in the Name of Jesus. Amen