Do you want to change? Do you think you can change? I think deep down, all of us know that we have a need to change and to grow. Well, how do we grow as Christians? Some people have an idea for growth that goes like this: Sin is bad. So just stop it. Don’t you wish it were just that easy? Some just want the “holy zap.” They pray and ask others to pray for them and just think God is going to give them one good zap to take away all of their problems. There are certainly times where God can do an instantaneous work, but I think that God most often changes us over time through a process of spiritual growth and maturity. As we think about true spiritual growth and change, we must also remember that God is the source of our growth and change. The apostle Paul said, “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who makes things grow.” (1 Corinthians 3:6)
It is only God who makes things grow. I remember when I first began to understand that God was truly the source of spiritual life. It wasn’t based on how good I was. It wasn’t based on my performance. True growth and change were only possible as God was at work in my life. The Holy Spirit was the true change agent, and the more I was open to Him, the more my life would be transformed from the inside out.
One of the greatest obstacles to growth and change in our lives is a wrong view of God. If you do not understand God’s character and nature, growth will be very hard for you. If God is the true source of change, but you do not really understand His nature or you are unsure about where you stand in your relationship with him, then you will not expect much change to happen. If I do not believe this God can change me and wants to, then how I can cooperate with his work in my life.
We must shift our view from a God of law to a God of grace. This means we need to move our understanding from a God who is out to get us, to a God who is out to help us. As a Christian, is God for you? Or is He against you? The way you answer reveals your understanding of God. As Christian, God is not against you – even if you are in sin. He will convict you, or maybe even break you, but it is always for your good. He loves you.
If you view God as nothing more than a God of law, then you mainly think of God as a God of rules. You probably think his favorite word is NO! And you most likely think God is ticked off at you if you fail and make mistakes.
Scripture tells us that Jesus “was pierced for our transgressions… the punishment that brought us peace was upon him.” (Isaiah 53:5) Does that sound like a God who it ticked off with you? No, Jesus took God’s wrath against our sin upon Himself so we could be forgiven. When we turn our lives over to Jesus, we meet a God of grace. God’s grace doesn’t just mean that we are forgiven. God’s grace includes God’s power that enables us to grow and change. It is God’s grace that allows God to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. Grace means we have been given God’s favor in our lives. Grace means we have God’s power available to us. Grace means that our God is for us. Grace means that we can grow and change with God’s help. Only God can make things grow. And our God wants to help us grow, as we love Him, seek Him, and trust Him. Thank God for grace. And that’s the Word.
