our nature in Christ: changing little by little
I am learning the importance of renewing my mind. It can definitely be hard some days because I tend to be a bit of a perfectionist (but I’m learning to let go of that). Recently, I was reminded that growth doesn’t always come in large chunks. It’s a gradual process that shows up little by little. It’s a daily process. I was reading a devotional a few days ago by Joyce Meyer, and wanted to share it because (1) I was deeply encouraged in this area, and (2) it went right along with our nature in Christ.
The Lord your God will drive out those nations before you, little by little. You will not be allowed to eliminate them all at once, or the wild animals will multiply around you. Deuteronomy 7:22 (NIV)
Today’s scripture tells us that God promised to bring the Israelites into their Promised Land little by little. Like the Israelites, God has promised us victory in our battles little by little. When you have doubts about your progress, be encouraged to believe with a bold, childlike faith that He is working in you, giving you both the desire and the power to do what pleases Him.
Patience in the Process
It’s important to remember that growing spiritually is a process. When I first began to read and study God’s Word, I immediately saw things I needed to change. For a while, I felt guilty and condemned that I wasn’t “measuring up.”
However, God helped me to understand that He never shows us these things to condemn us and make us feel guilty. He convicts us of our behavior in order to help us grow and come up higher in that area.
For example, I was extremely rebellious in the early years of my marriage. Because my father sexually abused me growing up, I developed a distrust of men. I vowed that no man would ever again push me around.
But as I learned God’s Word, I saw that my behavior toward my husband, Dave, was wrong. The Lord was asking me to walk in love with Dave in my speech, attitudes and actions. This was easier said than done! However, God always gives us the grace to do what He is asking us to do. He doesn’t expect us to change ourselves—only God can change us!
So, little by little, by God’s grace, I began to change and experience growth. The Lord transformed me from being rude, critical, harsh and rebellious into someone who’s actually very nice! But it was a process—it didn’t happen overnight.
Not Perfect, but Changing
Look at 2 Corinthians 3:18. It says, we are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory...
The Lord changes us a little at a time. None of us will ever be perfect until we get to Heaven, and that’s okay. But as long as we’re here on this earth, God desires for us to continually cooperate with Him to learn and grow.
As we do—as we continue to grow spiritually and change “from glory to glory”—we will experience the incredible peace, joy and fulfillment that only God can give us. And we will show the world around us what God is really like.
Resources: https://joycemeyer.org/everydayanswers/ea-teachings/little-by-little
