The Process

As I think about the daily process of trying to participate in God's work of transformation, here are some preliminary thoughts about how it seems to work out for me day by day, temptation by temptation, challenge by challenge:

1. GIVE UP ON YOURSELF. Recognize that your sinful nature prevents you from living righteously. Stop trying to attain righteousness and moral goodness by yourself (self-righteousness). In a prayer to God, confess that you can’t. Implication: when you read Scripture, recognize FIRST what God is doing, not what you should be doing. See Jesus at work through people in the Bible, and remind yourself it’s not them, it’s Jesus at work in them. Then recognize the call for you to live in righteousness.

2. EXPERIENCE GOD'S LOVE. In this moment of despair for your rotten self-righteousness, experience God’s undeserved love for you and be filled with the Holy Spirit. This is unearned love. Unconditional. Feel the joy of a debtor forgiven by a king, of a lost son received home again in a bear hug from his father, of a sinner defended and protected from a condemning mob. Feel spontaneous gratitude for receiving what you do not deserve—love and acceptance instead of condemnation and rejection.

3. DO LIFE INSIDE-OUT. Don’t focus primarily on your outward actions, but on the internal source of your beliefs and thoughts (heart and mind) that always precede and cause your actions. Recognize that internally, you have an old and new self.

4. TAKE OFF THE OLD. Identify the lies that are behind every sinful attitude and action in your life. Call them lies. Say it out loud. Ask God to help you see their falsehood. Ask God to help you reject them as the basis for how you will live.

5. PUT ON THE NEW. Identify the truth of God’s Word and His commands. Say it out loud. Since your mind and heart have been habitually trained to believe lies for a long time, ask God for the gift of belief in the Truth.

6. GIVE UP ON YOURSELF. AGAIN. Having begun with the Spirit, don’t think you can now do this on your own power—living in righteousness, being like Jesus. Confess and ask. “Lord I can’t do this. Lord I don’t have the right desires. Will you give me your desires? Can you give me that part of the life you lived here on earth that will directly overcome the temptation I now face, that you conquered while living in the flesh?” Trust that the Holy Spirit will show up with Jesus’ life and work Him in and through your life.

7. NOW TRY. TRY HARD. But try in accordance with the Spirit. In step with the Spirit. Always letting the Spirit lead. And do this out of gratitude. Out of love. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, knowing it is God who works in you. Work at it remembering the assurance of your identity as a child of God, not as a fearful slave. Work at this because you already are loved and valued, not to feel loved and valued.

8. WHEN YOU FAIL, CONFESS IT. Be open and transparent about your failure. You don't have to worry about what others will think because you have your core need for love settled in Christ's love for you. So Repent. Repent wholeheartedly. Don't rush through your confession. Feel the pain, but don't wallow in it. And stop sinning. Get up. Move out of that mud-hole. Seek God’s forgiveness. Seek forgiveness from others who were hurt by your sin. Make reparations as you can. Remember this failure does not take away or change your identity. You are secure as an adopted child of God, a daughter loved by the Father, a son loved by the Father. Your identity isn't in jeopardy. So meditate on and identify where you went off the tracks. Learn from it. And try again.

9. WHEN THERE IS SUCCESS, GIVE GOD ALL THE CREDIT. Worship Him. Give Him glory. Lather, rinse, and repeat.