I remember as a kid, I would ask my siblings and sometimes my cousins, “if you could change one thing about me, what would it be?” Although they never gave me a reason to believe I needed changed, I was under the impression that if I knew what they wanted, I would be accepted and there would be a greater desire to hang out with me. This mindset followed me many places and when I realized that I couldn’t change myself to please others, I found I often became hopelessly overwhelmed and sad.
How easy is it for us to have a similar mindset with Jesus?There’s a good chance many of us have thought this way at some point: ”I have to change who I am and all the things I love to become a different person just to be loved and accepted by a God who is all loving? NO THANKS!” I will admit, when I was younger, this was one of the things that I would think about when Jesus and church were brought up.
There are even days now that I find myself going back down this path but with a slightly different mindset. I now know how good HE is. I have seen Him move in my life and lives around me time and time again. I’ve seen Him heal and love and comfort and miracles happen and lives changed and people set free and prayers answered. A desire in me grew to do what He asks of me and Instead of asking God if He could change one thing about me, I have asked the same question in a slightly different way: What do I need to work on? What should I be doing differently? Show me! Reveal to me!
Now please don’t hear me wrong, there IS a place for spiritual growth which transforms you and glorifies Him. This spiritual growth is a result of changing mindsets, habits, and lifestyles. But this is completely different than trying to change who God created you to be. This line often became fuzzy for me and as I was asking for transformation, my mind was seeing that as a total redo of who I was. But instead of showing me how to change who I am, I am challenged to learn more about who He is and who I am in HIS eyes. And I would encourage you to do the same!
He has not created any of us in a specific way only to tell us we must change what He created. But most of us aren’t living the life He intended for us to live in the first place. We have been overrun and consumed by the world, politics, hopelessness, depression, hustle, jealousy, fear, anger, bitterness and the list goes on. These are the things God wants you to be free from. And when you can see that His love for you is pure and true, you will begin to see that these things don’t have a place in your life. You can turn to Him and say “Ok God, I’ve had enough of this baggage...what can I do to in my life to be freed of these things?” And allow Him to guide you step by step.
As you let go of what the world tells you that you should think about him; as you get past your own stubbornness and objections, and actually give Him a real chance, you will find that He is not trying to change who you are. He wants to free you from the bondage you are living in. Does that require choices and decisions and sacrifices to be made, yup. But believe me, it is so worth it.
He will gladly lead you into a life where you walk in His love and when you do that, you continue to step closer and closer into the fullness, power and beauty of who He created YOU to be.
(If you are someone who is wanting to take that step, perhaps find out more or maybe you just don’t know where to start....please message me. I walked most of my life in bondage. And Jesus left the 99 to find me....He is ready to do the same for you. And I am here to help in any way I can. ❤️)
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