14. God will happily accept responsibility for my transformation if I let Him—He will see that it happens.

(Before looking at the questions below, take a few minutes to think about this statement. Invite Jesus to speak to you about what He would like you to notice.) 

Do you find it difficult to let go of your need to control your life? If so, why?

What could Jesus say to you that would help you trust the Spirit to guide and work toward changing your behaviors, thoughts and desires?

Do you sometimes feel like it is all up to you to be transformed? Where do you think that feeling comes from?

Do you struggle to think that God is able and willing to see that your transformation happens?

Why might you not want God to be in charge of your transformation?

How could it be good for God to be in charge of your transformation?

Love, the kind of love that God has for us, can be defined as “knowing, desiring, and doing what is best for another.” God sees us when we struggle to live our lives outside of His Kingdom. He watches us suffer while trying to live life on our own and longs for us to enjoy the goodness of life with Him in His Kingdom.

The good news is, in our journey of transformation He will do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. Philippians 1: 6 promises “that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (NIV). Although our transformation does require effort on our part, perhaps an even bigger requirement is to surrender our will to Jesus and allow God’s Spirit to work in our hearts.

This is God’s work--even our desire for transformation comes from a seed that His Spirit plants in our hearts. This is the work that He has begun, and the completion of that work is something God is happy to oversee. When God’s Spirit plants the desire for transformation in us, our responsibility is to water that seed.

When we make the transformation of our souls our responsibility and think that we must make it happen, it will become a heavy burden. Jesus invites us to share our burden with Him, to let Him carry the heavier part of the load. The transformation of our soul is a shared work: our part is the lesser while God’s is the greater.