When we first come to God, we’re all broken in some way. So He begins a renovation programme to repair our thoughts about Him, about others, and about ourselves. While we may look alright on the outside, there’s a constant transformation going on inside, as the Holy Spirit works to make us more like Christ. The Bible says: ‘The Lord – who is the Spirit – makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image’ (2 Corinthians 3:18 NLT). Through His power, our chains can be broken, our minds can be renewed, and our hearts softened and directed to the things which will bring us life. He sets us free to live again. David declared, ‘He spoke the word that healed you, that pulled you back from the brink of death. So thank God for his marvellous love’ (Psalm 107:20-21 MSG). It was His Word which did all of this for us. His Word takes away our shame, makes us righteous, and gives us a roadmap to our future living for Him. Because of God, we matter. Because of Him, we have nothing to fear. But how many of us continue to focus on how far we’ve still got to go? We can become discouraged and feel ashamed that we’re still so far off being who God created us to be. When we look back we can see how far we’ve come, and that’s worth celebrating. We can see how much work God has done, how much has been redeemed, and how much we can now do to glorify Him in our future. Instead of becoming frustrated with ourselves, let’s thank God for what He’s done in our lives, and what He’s planning on doing in us and through us in the days to come.  

What Now?

Write out a prayer thanking God for all the work He’s done in your life so far. Then next time you’re feeling ashamed that you’ve still got a way to go, pray the prayer.