I’ve been spending a great deal of time in scripture and yesterday I had a thought. Why is it that when we discover a change needs to be made in our lives, we think we need to improve before taking the big step of change? Like losing weight before starting at the gym. We really need the gym to lose the weight! But yet we try to become fit enough for the gym.

This same school of thought applies when coming to Christ. One of the most unfortunate thoughts that we have before coming to Christ is that we aren’t good enough to approach him. That we must be “living better” before we are willing to commit to Him, as if we could possibly do anything that would make us “fit”. The reality is that if we were able to make this improvement on our own, there wouldn’t have been a need for Christ to go to the cross. Let’s look at some words from scripture.

24 For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. 25 Then will I pour clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: yea, from all your filthiness, and from all your idols will I cleanse you. 26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will
take away the stony heart out of your body, and I will give you an heart of flesh. -Ezekiel 36: 24-26

So, what does this mean? It means that the Lord will instill the changes in your heart and spirit. If you have already come to the Lord, and I mean truly surrendered, you know this. It isn’t usually immediate, change takes time, but it also takes your surrender. Once you give that surrender, you will find over time that you are a new creation. Your heart and mind are renewed, and you are walking more like Christ. You’ll have a hunger for the word and for change.

Years ago, I believed that occasionally reading my bible, going to church, and praying meant I was on the right path, but I was still living in sin. My heart desired worldly things over what the Word said I should be doing. I thought if I prayed and asked for forgiveness that I was ok. Right? Do something wrong, say you’re sorry, and He will forgive you and the slate is once again wiped clean. In reality that is not how it works. True repentance requires turning from your sin. This is difficult if you aren’t surrendered. People often see Psalm 37:4 and think that it means that because the Lord loves us, He wants to give us things that we want. However, what it really means is that when we seek Him and delight in His Word (Christ being the living Word), He is going to place righteous desires in our hearts and replace those unfit desires we’ve entertained throughout our lives.

And delight thyself in the Lord, and he shall give thee thine heart’s desire. -Psalm 37:4

I was telling my husband the other day how the person I was before the Lord is a stranger to me. Truly, I cringe when I think of my past. I was hurt, bitter, angry, lustful, and so much more. I lived in complete sin. Most people would’ve said I was a good person. Sin can fool a lot of people, mostly yourself. Now although I’m a continuing work in progress, I know He made me into a new creation, just like the Word says that He would do. I used to hear preachers talk about “the change” that happens when you are truly saved, and that yes, you may stumble but you don’t want to, you actually hate when you fail Him, you want to grow.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, let him be a new creature. Old things are
passed away; behold, all things are become new. – 2 Corinthians 5:17

The world makes a relationship with the Lord sound boring and that you won’t have “enlightenment” if you seek Him. The world makes being a follower of Christ sound as if you aren’t intelligent or that you’re a prude. I can tell you from my own experience, from my husband’s experience, and my children’s, a relationship with the Lord is immensely personal. It’s a relationship that is far from one sided and He is just waiting for you to really want Him. He’s waiting and always seeking you. I could write so much more, and I will soon, but I will end this post by saying that you will never regret seeking the Lord. He’s been so good to me, I could literally never praise Him enough.

-Amanda