Does God Really Change Us?

I've been thinking lately about how much responsibility Christians in general pass around. Most of what happens in our lives that's bad, or that we do wrong we attribute to the devil. And of course the inverse is true, that everything good that happens in our lives or the good that we do is attributed to God. But is this true? Is this a correct way of thinking?

As I think about these lines of thought..where are we? 

Where am I? 

Where do I take responsibility? 

Well, when we talk about the bad that happens, it's often because I some action that. I have taken "outside the will of God" or some such nonsense. But there is nothing that I do good that I can take ownership of..at least that's what I was taught to believe, and what I have believed up to this point. But I think we give credit, where credit isn't necessarily due. I know that last sentence is already raising red flags, but bear with me.

Our relationship with God is often likened to a marriage. So let's roll with that. Before I got married, I thought and acted like a single man. Even after I got married, at times, I behaved as a single man. I wasn't immediately attentive to my wife's needs. I didn't always think about her feelings. But as we have been married, I have learned what makes her happy. I've learned what makes her sad. So what do I do with this knowledge? I change my behavior! I don't do things that intentionally hurt her. Because of my love for her, and her love for me, I want to behave and think in a way that is pleasing to her. She isn't making me change or making me do these things against my will..it's what I want to do because I love her!

The same can be said about our relationship with God. Because of His love for me, and my love for Him, and because I understand my true position and value, I behave and think in a way that is pleasing to Him. I behave in a way that reflects my relationship with Papa. He doesn't make me do anything I don't want to do. Because I want to, I change my behavior. Because I want to live in the revelation of His unconditional love, I don't behave according to a lie. 

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Is there anything that I can do that will make Him unhappy with me?
Nope. He's absolutely happy with who I am and what I am. I am holy and blameless. I have been set upon the rock. I am the co-heir of Jesus Christ! 

Does it feel at times like He is upset at me?
Absolutely! That's the most frequently used lie of the enemy. The lie that says Papa is unhappy with our performance. That God is going to judge our behavior and punish us for the wrongdoing in our lives. 

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So when I hear "God is molding me into the man He wants me to be" or "He loves me in spite of my unholiness" or "I'm unworthy of His love, but He gives it to me anyways" I just want to scream! YOU ARE HOLY! YOU ARE RIGHTEOUS! YOU ARE LOVED!

God isn't "changing" us, He CHANGED us!
God isn't "making" us righteous, He MADE us righteous !
God isn't "bringing" us to a state of holiness, He BROUGHT us to a state of holiness!

When did He do this you might ask? Well I'll tell ya, 2000 years ago on a giant tree with the death of darkness..with the death of the lie of our identity..with the death of death itself! 

So is God changing me? No! I'm changing myself because of the revelation of who I am and WHO HE IS! I am growing in my understanding of Him, therefore I behave in a way that lines up with that revelation! 

Satan isn't responsible for all the bad in this world, and God is not responsible for all the good. It's not self righteous to believe who you are and act accordingly. The Holy Spirit revealed my true identity, so I want to walk in that! 

He's made all things new!

So whether you do something good or bad..own it! You're not a puppet!

Bless you,

The Other Guy