Changes mean working hard persistently II

Welcome dear readers of our column “Daily word for spiritual strength”! By the mercy of the Lord we are given the opportunity to feed our hearts with the living word from God. God is light and there is no any darkness in Him. The light of His word gives us wisdom.As we stated, from now on you are a new creation in Christ. However, you have to learn thinking and talking about yourself in a new, different way, walk and act as a new creation in Christ. The Bible tells us what qualities of your character you have to develop.For example, when I think about patience, I understand how important this quality is. Why do people, including christians, often break relationships with other people due to lack of patience. Where there is no patience, you always face problems with relationships. Each of has to learn patience and perseverance from our Heavenly Father. It´s generally impossible to build relationships with other people without patience.Let´s say you are about to become a friend of somebody, when suddenly that person makes you upset with his words. What would be your reaction to that? Having no patience you would resent and break any relationships with that person. This is how people stop being friends in family, in church and elsewhere. «Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, if any man has a complaint against any; even as Christ forgave you, so you also do». (Colossians 3:12-13). While growing up and changing we will see how we become more patient. Patience is a fruit of the Spirit God wants to be visible in your life. Therefore, God sometimes permits conflicts in your life, to help you with developing the fruit of patience. God desires to trample our pride thus transforming us into likeness of loving, persevere Christ. You are still arrogant if you show resentment at nonsense. God desires to help you to get rid of this arrogance. That´s why He allows people to do wrong to us. God is trying to teach us how to handle such situations, so that we are able to build relationships with people as His representatives on this Earth. Everything God permits in our life works together for good if we let Him mould us. This is what the letter to Romans says: «We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose.». (Romans 8:28). I have no idea what is that “all things” are in your life at this moment, but I am sure there are some unpleasant situations or circumstances God has permitted in your life in order to build your character according to His standards, so that all them work for good for you. If you allow God, He will use your problems to change you. Declare the following words loudly:«Thank You, Lord for renewing me every day in Your glory! I believe God will change me by His power, by the power of His Spirit and His word drastically. A year later you will not recognise me. I will become a better person, because He is working on me and I collaborate with Him. I am not stagnant, but renewing in God and praising Him by my changed life. Praise and glory to You, Jesus – my wonderful Lord!»God will do all necessary changes in you, so that you really become the light of the world and salt for the Earth! But, let Him do it! Be abundantly blessed today!Rufus Adjiboje, pastor