What Really Changes?
I've been struggling with the idea of change lately. I know that everyone struggles with change, we might not like it or there are some who like it way too much! But I'm not talking about seasons of life, work, or anything like that; I'm talking about the changes that we say happens when Jesus comes into your heart. What do we almost always say to a newly saved person? "Jesus is going to change your life," or "God's going to spin your life around." But does He really? Is everything suddenly, Bam! perfect in that person's world? I highly doubt that. In fact in many cases, turning one's life over to God, makes life harder and in some parts of the world, downright dangerous. Don't get me wrong, I'm not doubting a salvation experience nor am I saying that change doesn't occur. I just feel that sometimes we might cheapen the journey with God by expecting Him to instantaneously change us. I also wonder if at times we want Him to change things that He gave us without realizing they are His gifts to us.
Of course I believe that through salvation we begin to change; we start to shake off our sinfulness and as a result, changes occur. Romans 10:13 (TPT) states: And it's true: "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be rescued and experience new life." Galatians 3:23 (TPT) states: So until the revelation of faith for salvation was released, the law was jailer, holding us as prisoners under lock and key until the "faith" which was destined to be revealed, would set us free. As a person who has worked in prisons, I can say that a prisoner gets to do nothing without asking permission, they are stuck in a routine with no power to change that routine unless the guard changes it. When Jesus took the keys of hell from Satan, He took the power of stagnancy away from him as well. Jesus became our possibility to change; declaring salvation through Him opens up the new path where change begins.
But what is it that needs to change? Is every single part of us corrupted and sinful? Are we completely evil? That doesn't seem right either. Genesis 9:6 (NIV): So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Funny story; as a child I used to think that meant God had millions of faces. It terrified me! But really what does that mean? The more I think, ponder, and pray about it, I begin to understand that it means God placed within us qualities and talents that He will use as we begin to walk His path and be renewed by Him. I'm not talking about twisted characteristics or misguided values; I mean our true character, the part of us that God talks about in Jeremiah 1:5a (NIV): "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart..." It's the true part of our personality that quickens when we begin to understand or walk the path of God's destiny for us. It's the part that as you begin your walk in Christ and as chains, behaviors, and habits fall away, it stays. So many people think that being made in God's image means having to be a pastor, evangelist, missionary, etc. But they short-change themselves because they don't realize that their true character: being able to sit with people in grief, making people laugh, having the ability to make people feel comfortable around them, and the list goes on, are what bring God to the people around them. Many times we feel like if we aren't in ministry then we aren't ministering to people. That's a lie! We minister to every person we come in contact with whether we know it or not. And as we allow God to bring out more of our true character the ministry will just occur more often!
Now of course we have changes that need to occur. Many times our God-given talents have been twisted or perverted by our sin. Instead of comforting people, we are depressed; instead of using joy, we are sarcastic and our jokes are mean-spirited, instead of anger at the injustice going on, we are angry at the people doing it. Colossians 3:10 (TPT): For you have acquired new creation life which is continually being renewed into the likeness of the One who created you; giving you the full revelation of God. I'm definitely not trying to imply that we don't need to change, or that we are perfect by any means; well I know I most certainly am not! But I hope that once we realize God did create us in His image, which means that while yes, changes need to happen; we aren't these disgusting things full of bad stuff that He just wants to shake out. We are his precious creation, He loves us warts and all, but the warts are in the way of His being able to fully connect with us; so He created a way to get rid of them. We only need to accept His help in removing them. Actually when put that way, change sounds less scary to me now!
Of course I believe that through salvation we begin to change; we start to shake off our sinfulness and as a result, changes occur. Romans 10:13 (TPT) states: And it's true: "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be rescued and experience new life." Galatians 3:23 (TPT) states: So until the revelation of faith for salvation was released, the law was jailer, holding us as prisoners under lock and key until the "faith" which was destined to be revealed, would set us free. As a person who has worked in prisons, I can say that a prisoner gets to do nothing without asking permission, they are stuck in a routine with no power to change that routine unless the guard changes it. When Jesus took the keys of hell from Satan, He took the power of stagnancy away from him as well. Jesus became our possibility to change; declaring salvation through Him opens up the new path where change begins.
But what is it that needs to change? Is every single part of us corrupted and sinful? Are we completely evil? That doesn't seem right either. Genesis 9:6 (NIV): So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Funny story; as a child I used to think that meant God had millions of faces. It terrified me! But really what does that mean? The more I think, ponder, and pray about it, I begin to understand that it means God placed within us qualities and talents that He will use as we begin to walk His path and be renewed by Him. I'm not talking about twisted characteristics or misguided values; I mean our true character, the part of us that God talks about in Jeremiah 1:5a (NIV): "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart..." It's the true part of our personality that quickens when we begin to understand or walk the path of God's destiny for us. It's the part that as you begin your walk in Christ and as chains, behaviors, and habits fall away, it stays. So many people think that being made in God's image means having to be a pastor, evangelist, missionary, etc. But they short-change themselves because they don't realize that their true character: being able to sit with people in grief, making people laugh, having the ability to make people feel comfortable around them, and the list goes on, are what bring God to the people around them. Many times we feel like if we aren't in ministry then we aren't ministering to people. That's a lie! We minister to every person we come in contact with whether we know it or not. And as we allow God to bring out more of our true character the ministry will just occur more often!
Now of course we have changes that need to occur. Many times our God-given talents have been twisted or perverted by our sin. Instead of comforting people, we are depressed; instead of using joy, we are sarcastic and our jokes are mean-spirited, instead of anger at the injustice going on, we are angry at the people doing it. Colossians 3:10 (TPT): For you have acquired new creation life which is continually being renewed into the likeness of the One who created you; giving you the full revelation of God. I'm definitely not trying to imply that we don't need to change, or that we are perfect by any means; well I know I most certainly am not! But I hope that once we realize God did create us in His image, which means that while yes, changes need to happen; we aren't these disgusting things full of bad stuff that He just wants to shake out. We are his precious creation, He loves us warts and all, but the warts are in the way of His being able to fully connect with us; so He created a way to get rid of them. We only need to accept His help in removing them. Actually when put that way, change sounds less scary to me now!
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