Faithful [is] he that calleth you, who also will do [it].– He which hath begun a good work in you will perform [it] until the day of Jesus Christ.– Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?– The LORD will perfect [that which] concerneth me.
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of [his] good pleasure.
Phil 1: 6.– Ga 3: 3.– Ps 138: 8. Phil 2: 13
DailyLight
The above scriptures really show how we do not have to fret about how we are ever going to be changed into the person we should be, in other words, into the image of Jesus Christ. It is God’s will that we be changed, and the good news is that it is also His responsibility to make it happen – meaning complete the transformation.
This doesn’t take us off the hook for obeying the leading of the Holy Spirit, nor His written Word. We are called to listen and obey. However, the metamorphosis from what we were to what we will become is, in the end, all His doing.
By obeying Him to the best of our efforts, we stay open to Him and the work of the Holy Spirit. We give Him easy access to our spirit and soul to make whatever changes He requires. However, when we are rebellious and selfish, it is like we close the door to Him, and even put up barricades, making it harder for Him to do His work.
So if you are freaking out about how you will ever become a stable, righteous person that pleases God, don’t bother. Your only part in this process is to listen and obey and leave the heavy lifting to God. It is His Spirit in us doing the hard labor by speaking God’s truth to our spirit and soul and empowering us with the option to do the right thing – an option that unregenerated people don’t have.
Praise God that your future doesn’t depend so much on you as it does on God to perfect you!
Penny Haynes
http://ChristianWomenWithDepression.com
As I searched the internet for answers of why I feel the way I do, I typed in every thing you could imagine “depression” “depression in teens” “help for depression”… And then I typed what should of been typed first “depression in christians”… And once again God used a complete stranger to get His message across… Truth is, doctors think they have the answers, and therepist think they can fix the problem… But no one has the answer,… So many times I questioned the Lord, and there have been days where anger has been towards Him.. And I ask for His forgiveness… But I find that in times where the world crumbles before me, and loneliness overwhelmes me.. That there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother… And In my weakness, He is made strong… Ive had a rough, and stressful 3 years, back to back having painful circumstances… And My God knew that id stumble upon this website and read this… And he knew it would give me peace, and I praise the Lord for not only saving my soul from a sinners hell, but loving and blessing me even when I fail him… there are people in this world who are searching for peace, and you are doing the right thing by sharing the only one who can calm the storm of our hearts… God used you in my life.
Isabella, I’m so glad that the posts on this site ministered to you, and that God led you here. What I keep hearing over and over from God is that intimacy with Him in the here and now is the key to peace – not that I get that right by a long shot. But I am striving for a little less busy-ness and thinking and a lot more simply resting in His presence.
If you would like to join up with other women from all over the world who have different backgrounds and struggles who really encourage each other, please consider joining our Facebook Group “Christian Women With Depression”. I’d love to have you share with us.
And thank you so much for taking the time to write to me. You have really blessed me by your message.