Change is a part of life. If we never change, we become stagnant and stop growing. Although there may be things about us we don’t like and want to disappear, we can’t change ourselves; only God can change us. True change comes from studying His Word and letting it gradually transform us.
Effective transformation begins on the inside of us and starts with our minds. What we think determines what we do; therefore, we must learn to think differently. We may have grown up with a particular mindset that blends in to worldly philosophy but no longer gives us the results we want. We mustn’t be conformed to this world, but instead should be transformed by the renewing of our minds.
Paul was an example of how God’s mercy and grace changes people. Paul deserved death because of how he had persecuted the early church, but he instead received mercy and grace. When he met Jesus on the road to Damascus, the encounter changed Paul so radically that it took others some time to realize he wasn’t the man he was before.
Under the law, God dealt with the people according to their deeds; that ended when the covenant of grace was established. Because of what Jesus did on the cross, the requirements to be righteous and receive salvation changed. Before His death, Jesus told the rich young ruler to keep the Law of Moses to receive eternal life. Afterward, the requirement to be saved changed to simple belief in Jesus.
Mercy is when we don’t receive the bad that we do deserve; grace is when we receive the good that we don’t deserve. Just like Paul, when we encounter Jesus’ undeserved favor, something about it causes us to change our minds about submitting to God’s will. The richness of His goodness is bound to lead us to repentance.
Prayer:
Lord, grace and mercy are part of who You are; it’s Your nature to show us love and forgiveness when we turn to You. We’re thankful that encountering You changes us for the better. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Scriptures:
Romans 12:2
Acts 9:1-18
Matthew 19:16-19
Acts 16:30, 31
Romans 2:4