From God comes…
From God comes transformation. Transformation means a thorough, dramatic change.
The Christian journey starts with repentance which means to change one’s mind and heart. We can’t serve two masters, so we turn away from our sinful nature towards God. (Mark 1:15; Matthew 4:17)
However, repentance is just the beginning. Transformation is the continuation of what starts with repentance.
When we surrender to God we are born again. (John 3:1) When one is physically born, their life develops. They must learn to crawl, walk, run, and grow into physical maturity. When one is “born again” in a biblical sense, they must begin the same process from a spiritual perspective. This is when gradual, more dramatic changes take place transforming us into the image of God. (2 Corinthians 3:18)
This happens because God’s Spirit comes to live within us to help us reevaluate our objectives, goals, attitudes, and responses. (Romans 8:9) This is quite a miracle when you consider that we actually have this treasure (the Holy Spirit) in our earthen vessels (physical bodies) to guide and motivate us. (2 Corinthians 4:7) It helps us discern the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:1-2) We learn to look at situations from God’s perspective, not our own.
Spiritual transformation is not a magic immediate metamorphosis. It does not happen all at once. It is a daily process. In fact, we will spend the rest of our lives learning what it means to follow Christ and become more like Him. This transformational process continues even unto death when God transforms our lowly bodies to conform with His glorious body. (Philippians 3:21)
Our Christian journey will have many ups and downs, but we don’t need to worry if we yield to God. We are assured that God will be faithful to complete the work He starts in us. (Philippians 1:6) Until then, we must strive to be patient with ourselves and with others—because we are all a transformational work in progress.
“Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God…”
~James 1:17 (NLT)
