How Good Change Happens In Your Life

James 1:16,  Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. 18 Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.

To live is to grow and to grow is to change. Change is a part of life. We don’t believe in change for change sake, but change as a part of growing stronger in the Lord and becoming better.

There are changes which we plan and anticipate. There are also changes that we don’t plan and anticipate. 

Good change happens when we experience a convergence of three factors: 

1)  Our willingness to go in a new way

2)  The light of God’s knowledge

3)  The end of the old way

Paul said this to Philemon,

Philemon 1:5, hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints, 6 that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.

KEY POINT #1; Acknowledge and pay attention to the good things inside of you because of Jesus 

After he talked about the reality of trials, James wrote this for clarity:

James 1:16,  Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. 18 Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.

His concern about deception has to do with misunderstanding the source of change.

KEY POINT #2: All the good things come from God, even things that don’t feel good

We are changed by the “shining” of the character of Christ.

Teachers, like Paul, work to see the formation of Christ within the heart of believers.

2 Corinthians 4:6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 

KEY POINT #3: God always brings light. Look for His light in every situation

2 Corinthians 4 :7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 

KEY POINT #4: You often face two different states, inward and outward. Inner strength helps you cope with outward struggles.

2 Corinthians 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

KEY POINT #5: Faith in God requires focus on things that are real, but that cannot be seen. This is the key to your daily renewal.