New Beginnings | Part One: Transformation

Enlarge your house; build an addition. Spread out your home, and spare no expense! ³ For you will soon be bursting at the seams. Your descendants will occupy other nations and resettle the ruined cities. – Isaiah 54:2-3 (NLT)

The context of this passage is Isaiah speaking to the nation of Israel in one of its darkest times. Everything had gone bad–corrupt government, rampant immorality, economic mayhem, enemies at the gates, and leaders with almost no integrity. Yet, God comes to them with this message of hope. 

God doesn’t view your life the way you see your life. He sees the bigger picture, an eternal picture. His endgame is usually quite different from yours. Your endgame may be as simple as, “If I could get that raise, I’m good” or “I just wish my kids would go to bed without an argument tonight” or “Why can’t I find the right person to live the rest of my life with?” or “I hope we have enough money for my next purchase” or “I need a new job!” or “Why does that person hate me?” or “What’s for lunch?” There is nothing wrong with any of those things but God’s perspective for your life is so much greater than the here and now. 

According to Romans 8:29 his primary purpose for your life is for you to become more and more like Jesus. Read it slowly in light of your life and God’s purposes:

For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. – Romans 8:29 (NLT)

God knew you before you were ever born. He’s known about you and planned you from before the foundation of the world was created. Your parents may not have planned you but God planned you and intended you to exist. His purpose for every moment of your life is to lead you toward transformation into the image of Jesus. That means he is far more interested in your character than your comfort. I’m not saying he doesn’t care about the problems in your life or doesn’t listen when you cry out to him. He does, but his priority is your transformation. 

When we begin to cooperate with him and align our lives with God’s purposes, life starts to make a lot more sense. We find a level of peace that passes understanding even when life is hard. That’s because you can know that your loving Father is working to bring the very best out of your life. 

It is important to understand that this process is invitational and not forced. God is a gentleman–he doesn’t force us to change. You have the option to resist him at every turn. However, keep in mind that without his transformational work, you will be less useful to him and you will never reach the full potential of who you were created to be. 

What if you took the attitude of Mary? Your life would never be the same and your life would begin to influence others in the best ways possible.  

Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her. – Luke 1:38 (NLT)