And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Romans 12:2
I’d just finished reading my Bible passage for today when the Holy Spirit gave me something about all the nonsense regarding the lie behind the popular belief that Christians do not have to experience, or hassle with, behavior modification.
I’d been raised with thinking being moody was an acceptable and proper response to things and conditions I didn’t like. And this occurred in a “Christian” home. So, naturally, I brought that instilled behavior into my marriage. Now, not only did being susceptible to mood swings harm me, it was also hurting my precious wife. Eventually, being moody would have taken a great toll on our marriage and might even have ended it.
Fortunately, God led us to a Christian counselor helped me to stop many of my sins, my inappropriate, harmful and damaging behaviors.
Being moody when things didn’t go my way was just one item God wanted to heal in me. He pointed out to me that I wasn’t loving Ann when I was moody. He gave me a sense that our marriage, and my love, for Ann could be much better and deeper if I’d let God teach me how to stop being moody.
Do you see what I mean and where I’m going with this?
Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,
Acts 3:19
God wants us to open up our entire life to Him so He can heal us from all the harmful ways we’ve been living so He can give us His immense joy. That’s incredible. That’s what repentance and having a repenting heart is all about. God wants to bring us times of refreshment through repentance, through allowing Him in so He can change us for the better. What great love He has for each of us.
And He just keeps showing both Ann and me more of how He can set us free indeed.
I’ll take behavior modification – Repentance – every time if it means I can live free from my ways and adopt His liberating, loving ways.
God bless,
Mark