The changes must start with us

May peace and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be multiplied in your life on this wonderful day!

I pray for God’s Word to penetrate and strengthen you in your spirit, soul and body.

During quite many days we have been talking about God’s desire for us to change and to also see changes around us. God wants to bring changes into our families, our workplaces and our society. But every outward change starts on the inside. You might think that somebody else and not you is to blame for your misery and your troubles. You might think that if not for those problems and adverse circumstance you would have advanced a lot more in your life. But God thinks otherwise. He knows that if you let Him change you, nothing and nobody will alter God’s plan for your life. He tells you today: «If you let Me change you, I will solve your problems and do amazing miracles in your life». No problem can corner God. So until we stay humble before God and do not rely on our own wisdom, but in simplicity accept the Word of God, He will transform us and change our circumstances.

God’s Word that was brought by Jesus is full of grace and truth unlike the Law of Moses. The Bibles tells us that from His fullness we receive grace upon grace. Jesus did not bring law; He brought life. That is why it is written that the law came through Moses, but grace and truth – through Jesus Christ:

«And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ» (John, 1:16-17).

When we talk about change, we do not mean the law or abiding by some rules and regulations. We mean walking in truth and understanding of grace for holy and sinless life. Acceptance of grace and walking in truth makes us free. And grace that is hidden in the truth gives us power and ability to live in accordance with the truth.

So, the changes must start with us and then they can spread on the things and people around us. I once read about a monk who lived around 1100. His story confirms the fact that nothing around us will change until the change happens in us. When he was in old age this is what he wrote about himself:

«When I was young my imagination did not know any boundaries. And I wanted to change the whole world. In time I realized that I wouldn’t be able to change the world, so I tried to change my country. When I realized that I wouldn’t be able to change the country, I concentrated on changing my city. But I couldn’t change my city either. So, when I had grown older, I tried to change my family. Now when I am an old man waiting to cross over to the other side I have understood that the only one I could change was me. Suddenly I realized that if I had worked on changing myself I would have been able to really affect my family and then my family and I could have affected the city. Through the changes in the city we could have changed the country and the world”.

Don’t you think that this is a very profound statement? It is a conclusion of the man who has reached the end of his life and expresses his regret; he has finally understood what he needed to do in order to change this life, but it is too late. So, while you are still alive and have time and opportunity to change your ways, take the advice of the old monk. The decision that each person has to make daily is to continually strive to do his or her best expecting changes first, inside and then also outside. An influential life begins with you and I. Changes start with you and I, and then they start affecting my family and my environment.

If we want to influence our families, churches, neighbourhoods, jobs, and society as a whole, then we need to allow God to change us first; we need to allow the character of Christ to be formed in us.

I wish you God’s abundant blessings!

Pastor Rufus Ajiboye