Everyone has a story of how they came to know God and professed their faith to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Take a moment to think back about your story. Did it begin as a child or as an adult? Were there significant moments in your life that “sealed the deal” even though you had already professed your faith years or even decades ago? Do you compare your walk with Christ with what others are doing and experiencing?
This passage of Scripture comes to mind. Don’t copy the customs and behaviors of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which I good and pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:2)
A lot of people think of Christianity as behavior modification. You attend church regularly and start acting like other Christians. Looking at this from a man’s perspective, we feel if we learn the right information needed, we can “man up” and through our determination to get better and we can change our behaviors and become more spiritual. That may work for a while, but it is not the long-term answer. It is too easy to slip back into our past behaviors.
It becomes very frustrating to figure out that determination is not a strategy. Christianity is heart transformation not behavior transformation. It all starts with the heart. We see this in so many aspects of our lives. How many times has our determination failed us because we needed more than that?
The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. (Luke 6:45)
Your true faith is what resides in your heart. I am not saying that behavior is not important, just that it does not start there. Your behaviors will follow your heart. What is the best way to describe the faith that is in your heart? Tell me about what changed your heart and your faith. What was that moment in time, or did it slowly build over the years?
We are about to begin the season of Lent. Where is your heart right now?
