TRANSFORMATION; NOT SUBSTITUTION

BIBLE PASSAGE:
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation
has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
(2 Corinthians 5:17)

MEDITATION:
God is building His saints with spiritual steel so that
we will have a rock-solid faith in the storms of life.
As a result, we should not be surprised if God puts
us in the fire of affliction to test us.

Why go to all this trouble? Why not just make us instant saints?
God is in the transformation business; He wants to build character
into our lives. If He removes difficulty or pain from our lives, we
would miss out on what it takes to build character.

Most of us want God to give us health instead of sickness; we want
God to give us wealth instead of poverty; we want God to give us
friendship rather than loneliness. We just want God to substitute
things, but God is in the transformation business.

Like the caterpillar that becomes a butterfly, when the Holy Spirit
gives us a new birth in Christ, we become a new creature to the
glory of God.

How refreshing to know that God wants to make us brand new.
No longer do we have to remain shackled to the sinful things of
our past. No longer do we have to have anxiety and panic when
the storms come into our lives.

How many times have we heard someone say,
    “I need a complete makeover”?
We may have even said it ourselves.

That’s exactly what our loving God is doing for us whenever
we belong to Him, and express our desire to change. We are
a work in progress as He continues to transform us into a new
creation.

We can either become frustrated and resist His efforts to
change us, or we can enjoy the blessings and embrace His
‘re-molding’ of us into the new creations He wants us to be.
When we realize the magnitude of his love for us, then we
can enjoy how He is changing us, so that we will have more
of the characteristics of His Son, Jesus.

Becoming more like Jesus is what we really want, right?
It can’t happen if we remain status quo. There has to be
some evidence that changes are taking place.

Change is not always easy, but when we accept the fact
that God Himself is involved in our lives, then it’s easier
to leave our former comfort zones.

How is He transforming us?
He changes us in many ways,
and here are just a few:

He changes our thinking:
    Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true,
    whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever
    is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable;
    if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about
    such things.
    (Philippians 4:8)

He guides us toward spiritual maturity:
    Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and
    forth by the waves, and blown here and there by
    every wind of teaching and by the cunning and
    craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.
    Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow
    to become in every respect the mature body of
    him who is the head, that is, Christ.
    (Ephesians 4:14-15)

He removes the things that are
corrupting our lives by giving us a new attitude:
    You were taught, with regard to your former
    way of life, to put off your old self, which is
    being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be
    made new in the attitude of your minds; and
    to put on the new self, created to be like God
    in true righteousness and holiness.
    (Ephesians 4:22-24)

Overall, He gives us a new life; a life with a purpose;
a life that is full of zest and richness; a life that is no
longer marching toward death, but is sprinting toward
glory:
    But because of his great love for us, God, who
    is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even
    when we were dead in transgressions; it is by
    grace you have been saved.
    (Ephesians 2:4-5)

ACTION:
We need to assess our lives and see if there is any
evidence of change. How are your attitudes and
habits different now than they were a year ago?

Has your selfishness diminished and your selflessness
increased? Has your self-control improved? Do you
have a greater desire to see the lost come to Christ?

Instead of looking for faults in others, do you focus on
their good qualities? Do you have a desire to ‘do for
others’ instead of expecting them to ‘do for you’? Have
you become a better listener?

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me so much that
You want to make changes in my life. Forgive me for any
resistance or resentment I may have to the changes You
are making in my life. Help me to develop a new attitude
and embrace with excitement, how You are re-molding me
into a new person. Thank you for Your love and forgiveness,
and for sending Your Son to die for my sins, so that I can
look forward to an eternity with You, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.”

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