God, Change Me!

People face many challenging circumstances during their lives, Christian or not.  When we are in the midst of a bitter trial, it is natural for us to desire God to change the difficult circumstances we face.  As much as we want our situation to change, God wants to change us right where we are.  A lot of time in my Christian walk I was crying out to God to change my circumstances when God instead desired to use them to change me!

Just like repentance is a continual process, God wants to keep reforming us as we are transformed by the renewing of our minds.  When we read His Word, it should confront our fleshly ideas and misunderstandings.  Once we embrace the fact God remains in control, we can face trials and temptations with renewed vigour, looking to the One who has supplied all our needs by His grace.  Instead of looking to escape, God turns our hearts to seek Him in midst the trial.  This increases our faith.

I love the picture provided when King Nebuchadnezzar threw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego into the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual.  It was in the furnace they were loosed from their bonds and had fellowship with one likened to the Son of God.  They had fellowship with God before they were thrown into the furnace, but how much sweeter and closer His presence as they trusted Him in faith, willing rather to die than to dishonour and disgrace His name.  They did not find death in the belly of the furnace, but new life.  Another picture is Jonah in the belly of the great fish.  I'm sure from the moment he was gulped down, Jonah wished to be free of his oppressive, living prison.  In Jonah's case, God made sure Jonah had changed before He spoke to the fish and had him spewed out.

Paul and other Christians suffered many things at the hands of their enemies in the New Testament, even incarceration, torture, and death.  Paul wrote in Romans 8:16-18, "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, ¹⁷ and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. ¹⁸ For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."  When our eyes are on Jesus Christ and our lives spent for His glory, we begin to understand the suffering we endure cannot even be compared with "the glory which shall be revealed in us."  To have the glory of God housed in these earthen vessels, what a joy and eternal hope!

I pray that God tunes my heart to hear His voice.  Instead of desiring to change my circumstances, I desire for God to change me.  I know I need to change, and I must be willing to change first.  I need to be more like Jesus, and it will be God who does the work.  My part is to submit to His will in faith and walk in obedience.  It is God who has begun a good work in me, and it is He who will be faithful to complete it.