You are here: Home >> Living as a Disciple >> Trials and Difficulties

PDF of article

"Change me!"

- Changing Circumstances or Changing Lives -


We often want God to change our circumstances, when we should be asking him to change us, instead.

Why? God chose to save us in our circumstances, and then to display his power by using those circumstances to create changes in us. After those changes have occurred, perhaps he will change the circumstances, as well. But if that does not happen, we can still rest assured that things will not stay the way they are forever. The Day of Justice will come, and all things will be made right.

If we impatiently choose to sidestep God's work, or choose to sin, in an attempt to escape our circumstances, we are only dooming ourselves to even greater trouble - trouble that the changes God intended would have kept us out of. Such choices are an expression of distrust or unbelief. Making such a choice is the same as choosing to reject God's promise, that he will use all things in our lives - including our circumstances - to accomplish good.

How should we respond? We should encourage and build-up each other up. We should let God work in us, rather than trying to circumvent his life-changing work!

If God does change our circumstances for the better, we can rejoice. But it's more important by far, to rejoice in the fact that God changes lives. Don't ask him to lower his glorious standards, by changing just your circumstances, instead!

Dennis Hinks © 2005
060210