Spiritual Growth Requires Change

In Galatians 5:22-23 it says, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” (ESV)

God’s purpose in every change of my life is to make me more like Jesus.

The promise of Romans 8:28 is wonderful: “We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (NLT). But it doesn’t make sense until I read the next verse: “For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son” (Romans 8:29 NLT).

God doesn’t just want me in his family. He also wants me to develop the family characteristics of a child of God. He wants me to grow spiritually. And my model for maturity is Jesus Christ.

So what is Jesus like? The best picture of Jesus’ character is the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (ESV).

God produces that kind of fruit in me by putting me in situations full of the exact opposite circumstances, where I get a chance to learn and practice these character qualities.

I don’t learn kindness when I’m around the nicest people; I don’t learn contentment when I have everything I want. So when God teaches me how to love, he doesn’t put me around people who are easy to love; he puts me around unlovable people.

Anybody can be happy when everything’s going their way. But God teaches me true joy in the middle of suffering and grief and heartbreak.

It’s easy to be peaceful when there is no struggle in life. When God teaches me peace, he’ll allow chaos and conflict in my life to teach me a peace that passes understanding.

How does God teach me patience? By placing me in a long line at the Department of Motor Vehicles or at a delayed doctor appointment. Anytime I have to wait, God is teaching me patience to make me more like Jesus. 

Change is not always easy, but the big and small ways I’m growing in spiritual maturity will make it worth it.

The fruit of the Spirit is the spontaneous work of the Holy Spirit in us. The Spirit produces these character traits that are found in the nature of Christ. They are the by-products of Christ's control. I can't obtain them by trying to get them without his help. If I want the fruit of the Spirit to grow in me, I must join my life to his. I must know him, love him, remember him, and imitate him. As a result, I will fulfill the intended purpose of the law, to love God and our neighbors. 

Which of these qualities do I need the Spirit to produce in me?  

God even Gives the Bitter Ingredients Purpose

In Romans 8:28 it says, “We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” (NLT)

The individual ingredients for a cake will not taste good at all on their own. Some of them are quite bitter. For instance If I eat flour by itself, it doesn’t taste good. If I eat baking powder or raw egg or oil by itself, I’ll get grossed out. Even the vanilla by itself doesn’t taste good—none of the ingredients do! But when mixed all together and baked, it’s delicious.

One of the greatest promises of the Bible is found in Romans 8:28: “We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (NLT).

Notice this verse does not say that everything is good. A quick look at the news headlines proves that isn’t true. And it doesn’t say this promise is for everyone. It’s just those who love God. The way God works all things together for good is kind of like baking a cake.

In your life and in the world, there will be elements that are bitter and unpleasant. You might think, “That doesn’t taste good. I don’t like that change in my life. I don’t like what’s happening in the world today.”

When I’m in a season of rapid and relentless change, and some of the elements don’t taste good, I should determine to not become bitter by seeing only the negative in my circumstances. Because even when I can’t see it, I can trust that God takes it all—the good and the bitter—and uses it for his good plan.

I can’t see it now, but I will taste its sweetness in heaven one day.

God works in "everything", not just isolated incidents, for my good. God is not working to make me happy, but rather to fulfill his purpose. I am learning to trust in God and not in life's treasures, for my true security is in heaven, not on earth. My faith should not waiver in pain and persecution, because I know that God is with me. 

Understanding that God Is on My Side

In Philippians 2:13 it says, “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” (NLT)

No matter what I’m going to face in the next week, month, or year, I’m not going to face it alone. God is with me, he is in me, and he is for me.

Philippians 2:13 says, “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him” (NLT).

“God is working in you.” The word “working” in Greek is the word energos, from which we get the word “energy.” God is the energy driver in my life. I’m not just going on willpower and I’m not just going on my own power. God says he gives me the power I need, no matter what I’m facing.

Not only is he in me, he is with me. The Bible says, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you . . . On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you” (John 14:18, 20 NIV). That’s quite a promise! The Bible says Christ is in me; the Bible says I’m hidden with Christ in God; and the Bible says I’m sealed with the Holy Spirit. That means for the devil to get to me, he’s got to get through the Trinity! That’s pretty good protection. That is a great fear reliever.

Not only is God with and in me, God is also for me. Romans 8:31 says, “If God is for us, no one can defeat us” (NCV).

When a shepherd leads the sheep, there are always guard dogs at the back, nipping at the sheep to keep them moving in the right direction.

The Bible says the guard dogs in my life are goodness and mercy. God gives me the things I don’t deserve—that is his goodness. And he doesn’t give me the things I do deserve—that’s his mercy.

Am I feeling the smile of God in my life? If not, I might not really know God. Some people think God is like the angry parent who’s mad at them all the time. No. God is for me!

To be happy, I need to get up every morning and say, “God, thank you for being with me today, for being in me today, and for being for me today.”

God has not left me alone in my struggles to do his will. He wants to come alongside me and be within me to help. God gives me the desire and the power to do what pleases him. The secret to a changed life is to submit to God's control and let him work. I can ask God to help me desire to do his will. 

Change Is for My Good

In Genesis 8:22 it says, “As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night.” (NLT)

Change is unavoidable. We all know that—but we still often act surprised when things don’t stay the same.

When change happens, we can complain and grumble, get mad, and blame other people. We can even try to stop the inevitable change, as if we have any control. But things on earth never stay the same. Every moment of our lives, there is change, for good or for bad.

When God created the earth, this is one of the first things he said: “As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night” (Genesis 8:22 NLT). In his perfect design, God made everything on this planet seasonal. Everything is changing, even when we can’t see or feel it. My family isn’t the way it used to be. My job isn’t the same as it used to be. I am not the same as I used to be.

But because God designed it and said it was good, we know that change is for our benefit. Change keeps us from becoming complacent and keeps us trusting God for the things we cannot understand. When change brings pain into our lives, it makes us depend on him. And change makes spiritual, physical, and emotional growth a natural part of life. Change for the better in my walk with Jesus means I am becoming more like him.

There is no growth without change. There is no change without loss. There is no loss without grief. And there is no grief without pain. A person who wants to grow and be better but not go through the pain of change is like a woman saying, “I want to have a baby, but I don’t want to go through labor.” It isn’t going to happen! To bring new life into the world requires pain. To enjoy every good gift, we sometimes have to experience the painful change required to receive it.

Things change, but remember this: Change will not always be easy, and I might not always understand it. But whatever change God requires from me, I can be sure it is for my good. 

If You’re Worn Down, Show Up

In Isaiah 40:28 it says, “Don’t you know? Haven’t you heard? The LORD is the everlasting God; he created all the world. He never grows tired or weary.” (GNT)

The bigger the changes that happen in my life, the more time I need to spend with God.

This time with God is called a quiet time. In it I read the Bible, talk to God in prayer, and learn to be quiet so that I can listen to what God wants to say.

When I’m stressed out, time alone with God is the great stabilizer. It’s also the greatest re-energizer when I’m worn out. We’ve all gone through a lot of stress recently, and we don’t have as much energy as we used to. Chronic stress has drained us so much, and in it, our lives have changed.

As a result, feeling fatigued is natural. It’s what chronic stress does to a body. No matter how much sleep we can get, we end up waking up tired or start to drag a few hours into the day. In addition, If I feel like I’m just trying to get by, I’m not alone.

So If we’re feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, stressed out, and barely hanging on, then we need to remember Isaiah 40:28: “Don’t you know? Haven’t you heard? The LORD is the everlasting God; he created all the world. He never grows tired or weary” (GNT).

God created the entire universe in six days—and he only rested on the seventh day to model a Sabbath for us. He never gets tired! He is never overwhelmed or worn out. He never gets stressed. He can handle anything—including all the things we can’t.

If I spend more time with God, who never grows tired or weary, then I’m going to have more energy. Spending time with God is not a burden or a drudgery or a drain—it’s the opposite! He gives strength to those who are weary. He gives peace and rest.

So If I’m stressed, I shouldn’t seek a quick fix or look for a shortcut. Don’t fight changes that I can’t possibly control. Instead, spend time with God every day.

Even the strongest people will get tired at times, but God's power and strength never diminish. He is never too tired or too busy to help and listen. His strength is my source of strength. So if I feel life crushing me and it seems that I cannot go another step, I can call on God to renew my strength. 

Trusting in the Lord is expecting that his promise of strength will help me rise above life's distractions and difficulties. Believe that God loves me and wants what is best for me. I can relax and have confidence that his purposes are right, and that he has the power to control all of what's around me and my life. Though my faith may be struggling or weak, I can accept his provisions and his care for me.

In summary, my God will never grow tired or weary. He will strengthen me when I'm weak and tired. When I trust in him, I will find the strength is renewed. God's power and strength never diminish. He is never too tired or busy to help and listen. His strength is my source of strength. When things are taxing and burdensome, I can call on God to renew my strength. Trusting in Him is expecting that his promise of strength will help me rise above life's distractions and difficulties.  Believe that God loves me and wants what is best for me. I can have confidence that his purposes are right, and he has the power to control and use all things. When my faith may be struggling or weak, I can accept his provisions and his care for me. The worst times of life will exhaust and drain me. Since God can raise the dead, he can certainly help me. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to me. God can resurrect my health and infuse new life into my career. I receive his power when God fills my life with the Holy Spirit. I can master my situation. I'll no longer be relying on my own power to hold the strings of life together. Instead I'll be depending on God's power. God is faithful. No matter what I'm facing, he will carry me through it.