Waiting on Transformation

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

God is doing a work of transformation in His people. And He is not (no disrespect meant) running a fly-by-night operation with your life or mine. As a matter of fact He is taking His time to bring about lasting change.

I am not too familiar with the toy called a “Transformer” but from what little I know the toy transforms from one thing to another in a rather quick fashion. Now, to be sure, there is an aspect of our walk with Christ that is instantaneous. We are told in 11 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” We can be saved from our sins and given eternal life in an instant as we trust in Him. Salvation comes in a moment through the accomplished work of Jesus on the cross.

Transformation takes a wee bit longer. God is, by His Holy Spirit, changing us into the image of His son. Does it really take God that long? Nope, but it does take us that long. You see we don’t readily and regularly die to our flesh. We are too attached to it! Indeed the new has come but we don’t accurately and adequately reflect the new until all the old flesh is gone and that takes us a while.

Aren’t you glad God is patient? I know I am. Sometimes when we are passionately in love with God we become impatient for the change to happen more quickly. When that happens, remind yourself that He is in control; His plans for you are good and sometimes, like your mother told you, ‘good things come to those who wait’ (these are mom’s words and not expressed that way in God’s word!). But our waiting is not to be static in nature. It is a dynamic waiting process. We have things to do to cooperate with the Spirit of God as He transforms us. Over the next few days I want us to look together at that process of waiting. Can you wait?