This is the central place for transformation to happen. The renovation of the heart. New life is possible with a change in character itself.

Character= the internal structure of yourself that is revealed by outward patterns of behavior.

Under times of stress and fatigue, our character reveals itself. This is not a widely known fact. We can try to live a positive, gracious image for others when things are going smoothly, but when pressure hits we can’t keep up the defenses. Who we are is exposed by our circumstances.

We have some renovating to do. How often do we say or do something hurtful and then apologize with this kind of line?

“I have been under a lot of pressure lately.”

We also see this line of thinking when someone lashes out violently and injures or kills someone. In the interview of a family member or neighbor you often hear this:

“He seemed like such a nice guy. I wonder what happened to him to cause him to snap like that?”

No, he was not a nice guy. He was someone who was skilled at hiding his dominating self-worship but got caught up in circumstances where his real character was exposed.

 

Why doesn’t God just force us to do good? Our freedom is what makes us so precious in God’s sight. It is a key part of being created in God’s image. God honors our freedom to choose. He will not force us to love him. Instead God sends Jesus as a sacrifice to make it possible for our relationship to be restored. It is by being rescued by Jesus that our relationship with the Father can be restored.

We are not a lost cause. Under the power of the Holy Spirit, our true character can change for the good. This takes effort on our part, though we cannot change ourselves by the direct approach.

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