Power to Change
How do we become what God has made us to become? Can we become what we are supposed to become? Can we fulfill our potential? Can we become joyful, content, and just people instead of angry, frustrated, and selfish people?
The Christian faith answers honestly: on our own, we cannot. Left to ourselves, we are stuck. But it also gives us remarkable hope. The same power by which God raised Jesus from the dead is at work in us, enabling us to become what God has called us to be.
This raises an obvious question. If that is true, why are so many Christians still angry, anxious, materialistic, and even mean?
One answer is that not everyone who claims to be a Christian truly is. But that does not get us very far. Even among genuine believers, we see plenty of inconsistency. Look closely at any life, and you will find real shortcomings.
So how can we still say that a new kind of life is possible? Because change is real—but it is gradual. God is not finished with His people. He is in the process of making them new. “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion” (Phil. 1:6). The fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, and more—does grow in us (Gal. 5:22–23). It just does not grow overnight.
Working for Change
That leads to a second question. If this is God’s work, what is our role? Are we passive? Do we simply wait for Him to change us? If we do not feel like doing what is right, should we sit still until we do?
It might seem that way if we focus only on God’s role. But that is not how the Bible speaks. Scripture consistently calls us to active participation.
We are to pray and to “crave pure spiritual milk” like newborn babies so that we may grow (1 Pet. 2:1–3). Peter urges us, “Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge . . .” (2 Pet. 1:5). Paul tells Timothy, “Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress” (1 Tim. 4:15). God works—but we are not spectators. We are participants.
And not only in our own lives. We are also involved in the transformation of others. God is the ultimate source, but we are real instruments in His hands.
As my friend John McKenzie puts it, this is an asymmetrical synergy. We truly work together with God, but He always initiates, always supplies what we offer, and always governs the outcome. It is a partnership—but not an equal one. Below, I will explain this more fully. For now, consider a few implications.
Implications of Asymmetrical Synergistic Change
First, this gives us hope. God is at work in us. That means we are not stuck. We should believe this, trust Him, and rely on His power. If we do not like where we are today, we can trust that God is leading us somewhere better.
Second, transformation is a process. If we are not yet what we want to be, we should not give up. Change rarely happens in a day or a week. But over months and years, God’s work becomes visible. We learn to look back and see how far He has brought us. In the meantime, we embrace the process.
God’s Part in Our Change
So what does this process actually look like? And how do we lean into it? The following chart gives a helpful picture of how God works in our “sanctification” or transformation.
God is at work to change us in several ways.
First, He works inwardly. He gives us new desires and strengthens them. He opens our eyes so that we can see the truth more clearly.
Second, He works through outward means. He uses His Word to reshape how we think and how we see the world. He also teaches us through creation and through reflection on His truth.
Third, He places us in situations where we must live out what we are learning. He brings challenges that require trust. He puts difficult people in our lives to teach us love. He removes comforts so that we learn to hope in Him.
Fourth, He guides us. Through His Word, through wisdom, and through opportunities, He shows us how to live and where to serve.
Fifth, He gives us a community—the church. This community helps us see what we cannot see in ourselves, challenges us to grow, and supports us as we do.
Our Part in Our Change
Once we understand how God works, our role becomes clearer. We pray for His inward work. We meditate on His Word so that our thinking changes. We step into opportunities to live differently. We seek His will. And we commit ourselves to the life of the church.
We do the same for others. We pray for them, teach them, encourage them, and help connect them to a community that will support their growth. In this way, we participate in what God is doing in their lives.
But what happens when we do not do these things? Does transformation stop? Not entirely. There is a real connection between effort and growth—but God’s work does not depend on us. He is still at work, even when we are not. In fact, part of His work is to move us to act in the first place (Phil. 2:12–13).
And that is where our deepest hope lies—even on the days when we feel like we have nothing to give. God is still at work, and He will finish what He started.
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*Photo by Randy Fath on Unsplash