Change Happens

Change can be very hard work and sometimes painful. But often the work and pain are worth the result following the change. I was reminded of that today as I thought back on a big change in my life that occurred 15 years ago. That was the day my son was born. That change from being pregnant to holding a little boy in my arms took a lot of hard work and pain. But the result was well worth it.

Thousands of changes later, I now have a wonderful son who is growing into a sweet, compassionate young man who loves God and is so thoughtful toward others. And it was worth all of the hard work and pain.

Recently, my department has been going through some changes at work, and there are more and bigger changes to come. They will require a lot of hard work, and maybe even a little bit of pain. But I think the end result will be well worth the effort. I’ve come to realize that it may well allow us to be more productive and better fulfill our mission within the organization.

There is another change that all Christians experience. The apostle Paul put it this way: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17. Jesus referred to our change to a new creation as being born again. John 3. It is the process by which God takes a sinner and through the power of the Holy Spirit transforms him or her into a child of God. The initial transformation can actually seem fairly easy, though for some accepting this change can be difficult and painful.

The really hard and sometimes painful part comes in the days, weeks, and years after the initial transformation. As Max Lucado has said, God loves us just the way we are, but He doesn’t want to leave us that way. He wants to make us just like Jesus. Once a person is born again, the Holy Spirit begins to work on change the new Christian into something better. The Christian band Third Day has a song called “This Is Who I Am” that makes this point quite well:

I’m a son of a good man
I’m the child of an angel
I’m the brother of a wild one
And I’m looking for direction
I’m the lover of a beauty
I’m the father of blessings
I’m a singer of a love song
But is that all I’m good for

This is who I am
This is who I am
So take me and make me something so much more
This is who I am
This is who I am
So change me and make me someone better than before

I’m a saint and a sinner
I’m a lover and a fighter
I’m a true believer, with great desire
I’m a preacher of grace, prophet of love, teacher of truth
I’ve fallen down so many times
But here I stand in front of you

Take me as I am
But please don’t leave me that way
‘Cause I know that you can make me better than I am today

I am a work in progress and God is changing me and my environment day by day. For that I am grateful. I know that God can make me better than I am today.