Transformation Must Be Intentional

His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.
–2 Peter 1:3

When we become more like Jesus in our attitudes, actions, and affections, we can experience the abundant life God has planned for us. That is why spiritual transformation is both essential and desirable. But the transformation of our hearts must also be intentional. Only God can revive your spiritual heart, but once that heart starts pumping, you are responsible for developing it and maintaining its healthy condition. That is what we call “sanctification.” Sanctification is the process by which you and I, in partnership with God, become more like Christ in every part of our lives. We cannot do anything to revive our hearts, but there is a lot we can do in cooperation with God to change the condition of our hearts and make sure we are spiritually healthy.

Oswald Chambers explained it this way: “The question of forming habits on the basis of the grace of God is a very vital one. To ignore it is to fall into the snare of the Pharisee–the grace of God is praised, Jesus Christ is praised, the Redemption is praised, but the practical everyday life evades working it out. If we refuse to practice, it is not God’s grace that fails when a crisis comes, but our own nature. When the crisis comes, we ask God to help us, but He cannot if we have not made our nature an ally. The practicing is ours, not God’s. God regenerates us and puts us in contact with all His divine resources, but He cannot make us walk according to His will.” Spiritual transformation is a partnership between God and us. God supplies the grace and the power; we have to supply the effort.

In 2 Peter 1:3, the apostle said, “His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.” The moment you become a Christian, God gives you everything you need to live a godly life.

You might say, “Well, I guess I can sit back and let God do whatever He wants to do.” Not at all. Look at what Peter said in verses 5-7: “For this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.” God supplies the grace and the power; we supply the willpower. Spiritual transformation is a partnership.

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Today’s devotion is excerpted from “Simple Truths About A Transformed Heart” by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2008.

Oswald Chambers, “The Psychology of Redemption” (London: S. Marshall, 1930), 21.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org