Complete Transformation
Most Christians have at some point heard someone say something to the effect of, "Give your life to Jesus and he will transform you to be like him." Well, I have had a relationship with Christ for over five years now and I am very far from being like him.
I am impatient, I procrastinate, I'm have chronic anxiety, I hold grudges, I'm passive aggressive, I'm sarcastic, I think about myself way more often than I think of other people. I could continue the list but I think I've made the point that I am still very far from being like God.
But doesn't the Bible say I would be transformed when I accepted Jesus as my Savior? What am I doing wrong?
I have thought like this for a long time, part of me still does.
My heart must not be close enough to Jesus if I have trouble forgiving this person. My faith must not be good enough if I can't even take notes in class because I have so much anxiety. I guess I haven't really allowed God to be the ruler of my heart if I'm worrying so much about what so-and-so thinks about me.
These are destructive thoughts and I don't think they are fully true. When I think of these issues before I began my relationship with Jesus they were so much worse than they are now. There has been progress, and some days are better than others, but God is still working on my heart.
Those spiritual things that we don't feel like we're good at, He nurtures those in us too. Understanding Scripture, praying, serving others, discerning the needs of others, etc… God will help us to do all of these well.
We're all works in progress. We're not going to be perfect right out of the gate, but Scripture shows confidence that He will work in us until we are complete.
I am impatient, I procrastinate, I'm have chronic anxiety, I hold grudges, I'm passive aggressive, I'm sarcastic, I think about myself way more often than I think of other people. I could continue the list but I think I've made the point that I am still very far from being like God.
But doesn't the Bible say I would be transformed when I accepted Jesus as my Savior? What am I doing wrong?
I have thought like this for a long time, part of me still does.
My heart must not be close enough to Jesus if I have trouble forgiving this person. My faith must not be good enough if I can't even take notes in class because I have so much anxiety. I guess I haven't really allowed God to be the ruler of my heart if I'm worrying so much about what so-and-so thinks about me.
These are destructive thoughts and I don't think they are fully true. When I think of these issues before I began my relationship with Jesus they were so much worse than they are now. There has been progress, and some days are better than others, but God is still working on my heart.
Those spiritual things that we don't feel like we're good at, He nurtures those in us too. Understanding Scripture, praying, serving others, discerning the needs of others, etc… God will help us to do all of these well.
We're all works in progress. We're not going to be perfect right out of the gate, but Scripture shows confidence that He will work in us until we are complete.
… being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
- Philippians 1:6
If you are thinking thoughts similar to the ones I have thought, you need to remember this with me; that God is working on us. He's not just going to clean up parts of you while others are left dirty; He's not going to address the wounds on your chest and ignore the gash in your leg.
Of course we have work on our end still. Transformation requires effort from us to keep our eyes fixed on the Lord. Focusing on our relationship with Him and being intentional in it, seeking Him more and more, is necessary in our transformation. But God will meet us in our efforts and take us further than we could ever go on our own. And not only is He restoring us, He is giving us His power, the same power that brought Jesus from the dead is within us after we become Christ Followers.
I often underestimate the power of the Holy Spirit but it is the Spirit that works through me. The Holy Spirit is the one inside my heart, reshaping it in ever-increasing glory to be more like the heart of God. It is the Spirit that leads me in performing the work of Christ. The Spirit ensures that I am effective for Christ because it is not my doing, it is His - He is gracious enough to work through me and you.
I used to dread moments where I was expected to pray out loud or pray over others. I didn't think I was good at it. I felt awkward and didn't know what to say. But as I've grown in my relationship with Christ and He has further transformed me I am much more confident in my prayer, mostly because I know that I don't need to know what to say - the Holy Spirit will guide me. This past summer I prayed over a woman at my church's food pantry who was dealing with more unfortunate circumstances than I could count on all ten fingers. Before she left I went to pray over her and the Holy Spirit completely took control. I prayed over her for at least ten minutes and I couldn't remember what all I even said but this woman was in tears and told me she had never experienced such a powerful time of prayer. She told me I was a "prayer warrior," which I never would have thought someone would ever call me. But it wasn't me, it was the Holy Spirit. He took over my mouth and guided my words. It was amazing to experience the Spirit consuming me and ministering to that woman.
It didn't happen when I was new in my faith though. Five years of practicing prayer and cultivating my relationship with the Lord took place. That's not to say that some won't find it difficult to pray, understand Scripture, etc. But you cannot compare your transformation to anyone else's. God uses us in different ways and works in us uniquely. How He goes about working on you is catering to how He intends to use you.
So do not get caught up on the timeline of progress in your transformation. He who began a good work in you will carry it onto completion. Be patient, be intentional with Him, and be welcoming of the Spirit to work in your heart. He is still transforming us to be like Him.
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
- Jesus, John 14:26
And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.
- Romans 8:11
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
- 2 Corinthians 3:17-18
I often underestimate the power of the Holy Spirit but it is the Spirit that works through me. The Holy Spirit is the one inside my heart, reshaping it in ever-increasing glory to be more like the heart of God. It is the Spirit that leads me in performing the work of Christ. The Spirit ensures that I am effective for Christ because it is not my doing, it is His - He is gracious enough to work through me and you.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
- Acts 1:8
I used to dread moments where I was expected to pray out loud or pray over others. I didn't think I was good at it. I felt awkward and didn't know what to say. But as I've grown in my relationship with Christ and He has further transformed me I am much more confident in my prayer, mostly because I know that I don't need to know what to say - the Holy Spirit will guide me. This past summer I prayed over a woman at my church's food pantry who was dealing with more unfortunate circumstances than I could count on all ten fingers. Before she left I went to pray over her and the Holy Spirit completely took control. I prayed over her for at least ten minutes and I couldn't remember what all I even said but this woman was in tears and told me she had never experienced such a powerful time of prayer. She told me I was a "prayer warrior," which I never would have thought someone would ever call me. But it wasn't me, it was the Holy Spirit. He took over my mouth and guided my words. It was amazing to experience the Spirit consuming me and ministering to that woman.
It didn't happen when I was new in my faith though. Five years of practicing prayer and cultivating my relationship with the Lord took place. That's not to say that some won't find it difficult to pray, understand Scripture, etc. But you cannot compare your transformation to anyone else's. God uses us in different ways and works in us uniquely. How He goes about working on you is catering to how He intends to use you.
So do not get caught up on the timeline of progress in your transformation. He who began a good work in you will carry it onto completion. Be patient, be intentional with Him, and be welcoming of the Spirit to work in your heart. He is still transforming us to be like Him.
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