6 “The Lord your God will change your heart and the hearts of all your descendants, so that you will love him with all your heart and soul and so you may live!”
Deuteronomy 30:6, NLT
8 “So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.”
2 Corinthian 3:18, NLT
Geologists tell us that a lump of coal can be transformed into a diamond. It is not an easy process, and there is little economic value. But it can be done, but with much effort and time. This involves tremendous heat, and incredible pressure.
Something is happening to us and we are being transformed. This is part of God’s plan for us. This takes action on His part, it is a special work of His Holy Spirit. Slowly, but very surely, “we are becoming.”
Becoming is not an easy process. It is not a skill to be mastered but a new life to be lived. We are called to deny ourselves and bear our cross and follow Him every day. His Spirit comes along side and encourages us to believe God is changing us. We are slowly becoming like Jesus. We are growing “more and more like him.”
“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”
Philippians 1:6
We should conclude that God is surely working on us until Jesus returns, or we die. If you are a believer, you can have faith that His work is ongoing. It may seem delayed, or stalled but be assured that you’re His special project and He is not going to give up on you.
He is making ‘diamonds’ out of lumps of coal.
Thanks for this encouragement! And for all of your highly salient and uplifting posts. This particular one reminds me a bit of Hannah Gurnard’s allegory about Christian growth–have you ever read it/have any opinions about it?
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Thank you for encouraging us, Pastor B! I really needed reminded of Philippians 1:6! God bless you bunches!
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this blog comes to me at this very moment makes it irrefutably engineered by The Spirit Himself. statements in here are ones I have been in need of desperately.
God has for a long time been prompting me to move in the Spirit and I have not. He is now prompting me to fast and move. this confirms that Word and also gives me back the hope of redemption I had let go of.
thank you for loving God and sharing your heart. your treasure in heaven is enormous! May His face shine upon you and give you peace.
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