I was a wiz kid in Vacation Bible School. I memorized every verse, sang every song loudly, and won every prize. On the outside, I followed most of the rules, but inside, my life was a mess. I didn’t understand that God could change my heart, my inner life. The Bible stories I knew were great stories. I loved David and Goliath, Joshua and the Battle of Jericho, and Daniel and the Lion’s Den. Who doesn’t love a story where the good guys win? Didn’t these heroes just try harder than anyone else? I thought if I worked harder, I could become a better person. But my best efforts to change myself failed.
HOW COULD I CHANGE?
Every summer, my parents sent me to a Christian camp where I learned a lot about the Bible. But to me, it was just information. Nothing changed. I needed transformation, a complete overhaul of my inner life. What was I supposed to do? How could I change?
MY FIRST STEP IN CHANGE
Finally, one night around the campfire, I understood God’s gift. For the thousandth time, I heard John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” This time I finally responded. I understood that if I were the only person on earth, Jesus still would have come and died for my sins. I prayed, and Jesus took my sins away. Something definitely changed.
DIDN’T CHRIST LEAVE FOR HIS NEXT PROJECT?
I thought He came only to save my soul. I assumed Jesus said, “Good luck with the Christian life.” Didn’t He then leave, whistling down the road, going on to the next person? I didn’t understand that Jesus wanted to be my permanent Savior and friend. He wanted an ongoing relationship. What did that mean?
WHOSE WORK WAS IT?
Wasn’t it just up to me to try harder at living a good life? A verse that significantly changed my spiritual journey was: “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6). What was I to do with this nugget? Wait a minute! Do you mean that all my positive thinking and making resolutions were futile? Couldn’t I master the power for permanent change?
TEMPTATION TO TRY CHANGE WITHOUT GOD
Could I trust Him to work in my life every day? Proverbs 3:5 tells us to trust the Lord with all our hearts. Megan Marshman gives an excellent example. “My temptation is to try to change without God, to say in the flesh, ‘Self, stop worrying.’ Here’s what I can say instead: ‘God, I’m worried—help me take all of this to You. God, search me. Here’s my worry. Let me tell You about it. Teach me about it.’” God wants to be the architect and powerhouse behind the changes in my life. Hand over the reins and trust in Him.
MY TRANSFORMED PRAYER
I began to open my whole heart to Him: the good, the bad, and the ugly. My prayers transformed to: “God, clearly show me what’s in there. I can’t change anything by myself. Forgive me, and regardless of whether pain is involved or not, please work permanent change in my life by Your power and in Your timeline. I’m listening to You.” Trying harder on my own got me nowhere. Being honest with God and depending on Him totally gets me everywhere.
What about you? Do you want lasting change? You can be honest and trust Him. “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6). The God of creation doesn’t give up on His creations.
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