A Transformation to Truly Desire

“If you are renewed by grace, and were to meet your old self, I am sure you would be very anxious to get out of his company.”

— Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834–1892)

TRANSFORMATIONS fit under the guise of what was old is now gone and what is new has now come. Is there any better type of miracle than the emergence of a new life out of one now long gone?

We may read a quote, as in the above, and we may shrink a little, thinking our own transformation isn’t adequate for the purposes of God growing us from old to new.

Then we may take a more contemplative look, honing in honestly as to the types of changes we have made. We may take a good look at the old self and pretend as if we were to meet him or her, and how we might respond. Then vision for growth might materialise.

A transformation to truly desire is one where the old existed in the West, whereas the new exists in the East, or vice versa. As far as east is to west, that’s how far we may well have changed.

We may still wonder if we’ve changed enough – some of the old self left clinging behind. God has started that transformation work in us and will not stop until it is complete:

“In Christ, transformation has been initiated that will continue the process of transforming you.”

— 2 Corinthians 5:17

What this means in practical terms, is we don’t have to stress about growing – about being transformed. God has started the work and will not stop until he has finished. It isn’t for us to be bothered how he is outworking this growth in us, except for what we can do, which is to obey his Word and Divine Will the best we can now.

It may be the best way to gauge our progress is to get a good view of the old self and contrast it against our knowledge of the new. If we struggle for a fair assessment, we ask mentor to give us some feedback on how they think we have grown in the recent years.

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Growth is the Christian’s prerogative. The old is gone and the new has come; the Spirit residing in us. We don’t need to lament how far we still have to grow. All there is to do is continue to present ourselves as living sacrifices for the Lord of our hope. God will do the rest. God will see to it we are transformed from glory to glory.

© 2014 S. J. Wickham.

Graphic Credit: Vladimir Kush.