Changing

Changing is something that is seemingly impossible at times. Scripture tells us that with God all things are possible, and yet, when we see characteristics of our personality or temperament that have sinful manifestations, we are often discouraged by the "inability" to change. I say inability carefully because on the one hand, we know that is false. With God, in Christ Jesus' righteousness and the power of the Spirit, we know that we can change. But in the flesh, we truly are unable. And very often, it seems that our flesh wins. We spend hours contemplating the changes we want to make, we even seek counsel and pray thoughtfully toward that end, and yet change remains elusive. We read Bible passages that relate directly to our specific sin struggles, memorize them, hang them on bathroom mirrors or put them on a card and tape it to our dashboard. But nothing seems to change. Then we begin to wonder if there's any point to trying because it never seems to come together. Then there is the even greater condemnation that creeps into our thinking as we start to consider the ramifications of not changing. If we are not changing, then what have we been missing? My pastor has said, "If we have not changed, then we have not learned". There couldn't be a much more glaringly obvious conviction than that. When we continue to struggle with the same sins over and over, then it is evidence that we have not truly learned. Something is unresolved. This is a dangerous place to be, and yet the safest place to be in the sense that we have become aware of it. Ignorance is a quick way to hell. But when we become aware that there is habitual sin in our lives, then we are more inclined to address it. In fact, the genuine believer will be most tormented by the sin he sees in his life. We can take heart in knowing that the conscience God has formed within us is doing its work of conviction, which will hopefully lead to sincere repentance and a desire to flee from that sin and fly to the cross. Oftentimes when we struggle with the same sins over and over, it is because we have tried to conquer it in our flesh, instead of seeking the blood-bought power of Christ within us as our means of true sanctification. May we learn, and therefore, be changed.