Who Are You? What is Your Identity? Do You Need to Change?

How many of us have said, 'That is the way I am', 'I am not going to change for someone else-I need to be who I am', 'I have always been this way, I am not going to change now', "That is my personality', 'I have always been shy', 'I have always been intense', etc. I am sure every one of us have made one of those comments at some point of time-even to God.

The question to ask yourself is 'Am I what Jesus wants me to be?'. It really does not matter who I have been for years, what matters is that I become who Jesus wants me to be. For some of us that may mean drastic changes must take place in our lives. Thus, sometimes God will allow drastic circumstances to come our way to help us to change if we cooperate with God. But many will complain about the circumstances instead of seeing them as the tool God uses to change us.

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How many know that change is not fun? I am sure every reader knows that change is not fun many times. Change disrupts things in our life. Change challenges us. Change can bring hardship. Change can be painful. Change can mean loss of friends. Change can bring conflict. Change can stretch us.

However, if we want to look, act, be more like Jesus we will have to be willing to change.

2 Corinthians 3:18 (KJV)
¹⁸ But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

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Before I write another article on change, I thought it might be nice if some of our readers were to make a quick comment of what God is asking of you in regards to change.

For myself, He is asking me to make sure that I do not make truth so important that I destroy important relationship along the way. That does not mean He wants me to compromise, but to use more wisdom in regards to standing for truth. To choose my battles.

He is also asking of me to love my wife with His love in a greater way. Be more gentle with her and others.

More intimate fellowship with Jesus.

The reason some people do not change is that they are deceived. They are deceived into thinking they do not need to change. The deception normally comes from believing a lie long enough that are deceived into believing it is true. Or by having open doors in their life (willful sin) that opens them up to deception by Satan. Either way, the deception comes because the person is not willing to walk in truth.

A person who is walking in deception rarely changes. Why? Because they are deceived into thinking they do not need to change. So, even though they encounter all kinds of trials, tribulations, consequences because of their deception, they continue doing the same things. Unless the deception is dealt with, there will be no change in their life. They will always see it is others that are the problem. (More)  

Why is it that people do not change overall? In this post we will address some of the reasons (which many times are just excuses).

It takes time to change
Almost always change takes time. The exception is when God does something miraculously. I have seen people set free from drugs immediately, but that is an exception. Changes takes time and most people get impatient with the process of change so they quit midstream. If they are not seeing the results they want, they quit. i.e. It takes time to lose weight. The person does not see the weight disappear quick enough so they quit.

Do you want change to take place i your life? Be patient with the process.

It takes energy/work to change
To be honest, many people are too lazy for change to take place in their life. It takes work. Most people want to make a decision to change something in their life, go to sleep, and in the morning the change has occurred. However the truth is change takes effort. You must exercise to lose weight. You must drive to the counselor/treatment clinic to get free from drugs. You must read the Bible to renew your mind. To eat healthy you must cook instead of going to the fast food restaurant. To get a raise you must work harder, not just coast along in your job.

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The Greek words for change are:
metathesis-transference from one place to another
metallasso-to change one thing for another 
metatithemi-to place differently
metaballo-to turn quickly, to change one's mind
allaso-to make other than it is, transform

The word repentance is associated with the concept of change:
metanoia-a change of mind or purpose

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