Trust God to Change You

“You can’t change circumstances and you can’t change other people, but God can change you.”

—EVELYN A. THEISSEN

But by the grace (the unmerited favor and blessing) of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not [found to be] for nothing (fruitless and without effect). In fact, I worked harder than all of them [the apostles], though it was not really I, but the grace (the unmerited favor and blessing) of God which was with me.

—1 Corinthians 15:10

Do you ever struggle with yourself? Do you see things about yourself you know need to change and desperately try to change them? I did that for many years and they were some of the most complicated and frustrating years of my life. I finally saw, through God’s grace, how it was a waste of time for me to try to fix something only God could do something about.

Paul wrote that God has begun a good work in us and He will complete it and bring it to its finish (see Philippians 1:6). I try to remember God did not invite me into the game, throw me the ball, and tell me to make the touchdown by myself. We receive everything we need the same way we received Jesus: by believing. The only thing we receive by struggle and effort is frustration. I remember putting a sign on my refrigerator that said, “Frustration = works of the flesh.” God has graciously taught me each time I feel frustrated, it is because I was taking over and trying to do something without His help. It is what His Word calls “works of the flesh” and is something He hates. We honor God when we depend on Him in all things.

When God shows us something that is wrong with us, all He wants us to do is agree with Him and repent. I recommend you tell Him you cannot change unless He helps you and that you thank Him daily that He is doing so. You may not see results at first, but faith works. A person living by faith begins by believing what they do not see or feel, and they get results as they continue believing and waiting patiently. Stop wrestling with yourself and believe that God is working in you right now and that you will see the results. God can change you for the better and for good.