You Need God’s Help to Change
By Rick Warren
"As the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him." 2 Corinthians 3:18 (TLB)
Doing a reset in your life is not something you can do with just human energy. Only God can produce that kind of a transformation in your life.
Think of it like this: Someone could make a law that says, "No more prejudice. No more racism. No more bigotry." But no law is ever going to turn a bigot into a lover. Only God has the power to do that—because it requires an internal change, and only God can produce a truly lasting transform in our hearts.
In the same way, you can tell yourself that you’re ready to change, that you want to change, that you can change, and that you will change. But nothing will ever happen—nothing that lasts or has eternal significance—without the help of the Holy Spirit.
The Bible says in Zechariah 4:6, “‘You will not succeed by your own strength or by your own power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD All-Powerful" (NCV).
Just like you can’t transform yourself into a tiger or a leopard, you can’t transform yourself to be like Christ. You can't change your life on your own power. Willpower is not enough.
You didn't collect your hurts, habits, and hang-ups overnight, and you're not going to eliminate them overnight either. It's going to take time. In fact, it's going to take the rest of your life! It’s a slow process. And on your own, you won’t have enough patience and endurance to finish strong.
But there’s good news. The Bible promises, "As the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him" (2 Corinthians 3:18 TLB).
Making changes involves a lifelong process that requires the power of Holy Spirit. As the Spirit works within you, God transforms you into who you were created to be and makes you more and more like him.
When God wants to make a mushroom, he takes six hours. When he wants a mature oak tree, he takes 60 years.
Do you want to be a mushroom or an oak tree? God wants you to grow into an emotionally mature, spiritually strong, happy, and healthy woman or man of God.
It won’t happen quickly. But it will happen with the help of the Holy Spirit.
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This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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