To Change or Be Changed

To Change or to be changed: That is the question"...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." (Philippians 2:12, 13)
Most of us have talked to people who are struggling in a particular area who tell us, "I'm working on that." What that typically means is, "I'm still waiting for God to change me."

If we were honest, we would have to admit we have areas in our lives that still need work. For some of us we can readily name major areas in which we desire change. For others, those areas are more subtle and difficult to identity. However, since our transformation into the image of Jesus Christ will not be complete until we see Him face to face, we know change is still necessary.

Many of us recognize the need for change in our lives and even pray fervently but to no avail. Why is that? Why isn't God changing us in the dramatic ways we desire? Could it be that we are waiting for God to zap us with change so the new behavior or attitude won't be so difficult? We want to BE changed, rather than to change.

The former is something done to us, the later is something we do.Who wouldn't want to wake up one morning changed? Why doesn't it work that way? God is doing a work in us through the process of change that would not be accomplished through instant change.

We are more interested in the end result while God is more interested in the process. Without our commitment and effort combined with the power of the Holy Spirit, change is unlikely.How do we do our part? We make one righteous choice at a time, until we have accumulated numerous righteous choices to have formed a new righteous habit. We are changed one victory at a time.Ephesians 4:22-24, "...that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." Diane Hunt is Director of Addiction Recovery Ministries at America's KESWICK