Eight Principles for a Joyful Life- #3

I'm doing a series called Eight Principles. These are things God has taught me since coming to Christ 31 years ago. These are familiar principles, but it's good to remind ourselves of truth.

So far we've looked at Principle #1 (Fall in love with Jesus) and Principle #2 (We become more like Christ in proportion to how much time we spend with God in His Word).

Principle #3 is:

Let God change you from the inside out by replacing old thought patterns with biblical truth.

Prior to my conversion to Christ, I saw myself as dumb and ugly. After God saved me, He began changing that. One of the first verses I learned was Philippians 1:6 which says, "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

That was a critical verse for me because I felt overwhelmed at the thought of so much in me that needed to be changed. I had made a total mess of my life before Christ. So, every time I had thoughts like, "You're so dumb," I started quoting Philippians 1:6 to myself and thanking God for the good work He began in me and for His promise to keep doing it. It was no longer me trying to change myself (impossible!) but God doing it in me. After a few months of doing that, I no longer had thoughts about being dumb and ugly.

Romans 12:2 says,

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will.

For years I had tried the way of the world to change myself. I worked for a positive thinking company; I tried careers that put me in the spotlight; I tried secular counseling. Nothing worked!

Only God can change us from the inside out when we trust Christ as our Savior. He does that through our relationship with Him in His Word, prayer, and through His Spirit.

I love Psalm 119:73 which says,

Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to learn Your commands.

And also Psalm 139:13-14:

For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

As God changes us from the inside out, He changes our motivations, our desires, and our view of life. We become authentic followers of Christ rather than those who do things to gain attention. Jesus said in Matthew 23:27, "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean."

As a new Christian, I looked good on the outside, but inside I still had a lot of junk like selfishness, bitterness, and pride. Slowly God began to heal hurts, reveal sin, and clean me up from the inside out. It's a lifelong process where He keeps peeling back layers to get to things that need to be changed.

Let me pray for us:

Father, we praise You for never giving up on us, even when change looks hopeless in our eyes. Help us remember Your promise in Philippians 1:6. Thank you for being patient, loving, and gentle with us. We pray that as you make us more like Christ that You will increase our fruitfulness in Your kingdom.

In Jesus' precious Name,
Amen