“I Want to Change…Now What?”

But I say, walkhabituallyin the [Holy] Spirit [seek Him and be responsive to His guidance], and then you will certainly not carry out the desire of the sinful nature [which responds impulsively without regard for God and His precepts].

Galatians 5:16 (AMP)

Most of us wrestle with our selfish temptations, thinking that if we try hard enough, we can resist them. God’s Word says the opposite—that apart from Him we can do nothing (John 15:5).

In Galatians 5:16, God gives us His foolproof recipe for success. He says that if we focus on living our lives in the Spirit, then we will not fulfill the desires of the flesh. In other words, if we spend our time doing the right things, we won’t have any time left over to do the wrong things.

This is something we learn to do by practicing, like learning to play a musical instrument. It’s a process that takes time and commitment. Learning to focus on others isn’t something that comes naturally, so we are changing our habits.

The Holy Spirit is our Helper (John 14:26), so I encourage you to spend as much time in God’s presence as you possibly can. This includes talking to God in prayer and taking time to read and study His Word. Again, we can’t change ourselves, but God can. Little by little, He will transform us through His Word and even change our desires (2 Corinthians 3:18). He will help us to be less selfish!

While you are learning and changing, you don’t have to be angry with yourself if you feel like progress is slow. You can enjoy where you are on the way to where you are going. God sees the way you are now, but He also sees what you will become, and He treats you as though you have already arrived.

You see, we are all born selfish and stingy, but when we accept Jesus as our Savior, we are born again unselfish and generous. We simply need to learn to walk in our new nature.

From this point forward, decide not to think of yourself as selfish. Rather, think of yourself as the new creation God has made you to be in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). Agree with God that you are generous because Jesus lives in you! And spend time each day in the Spirit, intentionally thinking about what you can do for others.

Adapted from the book What About Me? by Joyce Meyer. Copyright 2024 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.

Let’s Pray: “God, thank You for showing me that I can’t do any of this on my own—that I need Your help to grow up spiritually. Help me to spend regular time in Your Word so that I can learn and grow, little by little, with the help of the Holy Spirit. Help me to forgive myself when I make mistakes, and to see myself as the new creation I am in Christ. Amen.”

Family Activity: Morning Meetings! Get together each morning—even if just for a minute—to pray as a family, asking God to strengthen you by His Spirit so you can do (with ease) the good works He has planned for you! At the end of each day, talk about how God helped you. Encourage one another to pray anytime you need to be strengthened by the Holy Spirit.