The Four Pathways God Uses to Change Your Life

This is Part 2 of the series Can People Really Change?  You can find Part 1 here.  

------------------

When Change Feels Impossible

Today, I want to talk to you about something that touches every single one of us: the process of change. I want to dive deep into how God actually changes us. Because here's what I've learned: change doesn't happen by accident. God uses specific patterns and processes in our lives to bring about transformation.

Maybe there's an area of your life that you just cannot let go of. Maybe it's an addiction, a toxic mentality, something that's been in your family for generations. Maybe it's anger that flares up instantly, and no matter how many times you come to church or listen to Christian radio, you still fly off the handle when one thing goes wrong.

If that's you, I want you to know that victory is possible. God has four distinct processes He uses to change us, and I believe one of them is going to speak directly to your situation today.

The Foundation: We Are New Creations

Before we dive into the four processes, let's establish our foundation from 2 Corinthians 5:17: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."

I love this verse because it says the old has "passed away." When someone dies, we say they "passed away." It's a gentle way of saying they're gone forever. That's what happens to our old nature in Christ. It's dead. It's passed away. It no longer defines who we are.

The old things that used to make you who you were have passed away. And behold, the new has come. That means change is right around the corner for you.  In light of that, here are four processes that God uses to bring change into your life.

Process #1: Pain Forces Us to Change

The first way God brings change into our lives is through pain. We spend most of our energy trying to avoid pain, cover it up, or medicate it away. But here's the truth: pain forces us to change when the pain of remaining the same becomes greater than the pain of changing.

The Story of the Prodigal Son

Jesus tells us about a young man who had everything but chose to waste it all. The word "prodigal" doesn't mean "wild" or "crazy" like we often think. It means "wasteful." This son took his inheritance while his father was still alive, went to a far country, and spent it all on wild living.

But then something happened that he didn't plan for: a famine hit the land. The money he thought would last forever couldn't even buy him one more meal. He ended up working on a pig farm, so hungry that he considered eating the slop he was feeding to the pigs.

It was at that lowest moment that the Bible says "he came to his senses." Pain has a way of getting our attention like nothing else can. You can ignore a sermon, but you can't ignore a famine. When everything around you is falling apart, suddenly you're ready to listen to what God has been trying to tell you.

What Pain Teaches Us

Hebrews 12:11 says, "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."

Let pain train you. Pain will either harden you or heal you, so don't waste it. I've noticed that people in painful seasons often ask the wrong questions. They get stuck on "Why?" But God wants you to ask a different question: "Who are you trying to make me through this?"

When I'm going through pain, I don't ask "Why is this happening?" I ask "Who do you want me to be when I come out of this? What are you teaching me? What are you showing me about myself that I need to change?"

The prodigal son took responsibility for his sin. He said, "I have sinned against heaven and against you." That acknowledgment was the beginning of his transformation. If you're going to change, you have to be honest about where you are and take responsibility for your part in getting there.

Process #2: Vision Inspires Us to Change

While pain pushes us toward change, vision pulls us toward it. Vision shows us what's worth becoming and inspires us to reach for something greater than where we are right now.

The Transformation of Paul

Consider the story of Saul on the road to Damascus. This man hated Christians so much that he was "breathing out threats and murder" against them. He was present when Stephen was stoned to death, and the Bible says he was "consenting unto his death." This wasn't someone who seemed like he could ever change.

But then Jesus appeared to him in a vision so bright it blinded him. In that moment, everything changed. Jesus said, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" And immediately, Saul called Him "Lord."

Paul wasn't seeking Jesus, but Jesus was seeking Paul. And the same is true for you. You might think you're seeking God, but the truth is, He's been seeking you. He's been looking for you for a long time, and if you let Him find you, He will do something powerful in your life.

The Power of Vision

When God gives you a vision of what your life could look like, don't let it go. The Bible says, "Write the vision and make it plain upon tablets, that he may run who reads it" (Habakkuk 2:2). When you get a glimpse of what God wants to do in your life, write it down. Declare it over yourself and your family every single day.

• "Someday I will be free of this addiction." 
• "I am free of this toxic relationship in Jesus' name." 
• "I will walk in the calling God has placed on my life." 

Don't just shrug off the vision as a nice dream. Where there is no vision, people perish. When God opens your eyes to see what's possible, hold onto that vision and run with it.

Process #3: Wisdom Compels Us to Change

The third process God uses is wisdom. Unlike pain that pushes and vision that pulls, wisdom compels us from the inside out. It doesn't just inform us; it moves us to action.

The Ethiopian Eunuch

One of my favorite stories in the book of Acts is about the Ethiopian eunuch. This man was different in every way you can imagine. He was a Gentile, he was Black, and he had been castrated to serve in the royal court. Can you imagine the identity struggles he must have faced?

But when Philip found him reading the Bible, something beautiful happened. Philip asked, "Do you understand what you're reading?" And instead of pretending he knew, the eunuch gave the most humble response: "How can I, unless someone explains it to me?"

That's the first step toward true change: admitting you don't know the answer. We live in a world where everyone acts like they know everything. People pull out their phones and pretend to be experts on subjects they've never studied. But this man was humble enough to say, "I need help understanding this."

The Response to Wisdom

When Philip explained the gospel to him and told him about Jesus, the eunuch didn't just file the information away. When they passed some water, he immediately said, "What's keeping me from being baptized right now?"

He didn't want to just hear about change; he wanted to experience it for himself. That's what wisdom does. It compels you to action. It makes you say, "I don't want to just know about this; I want to live it."

Maybe someone has shared some godly wisdom with you, and you thought, "Take it or leave it, whatever." No, you need to recognize wisdom when it comes. Sometimes our teachers come from the most unlikely places. Sometimes it's a child, sometimes a stranger, sometimes even someone we don't particularly like. But when truth is spoken, wisdom compels us to act on it.

The Bible says, "For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding" (Proverbs 2:6). Be teachable. Let wisdom not just fill your mind but compel your life.

Process #4: Grace Enables Us to Change

The final process is my favorite: grace. Grace doesn't just inspire us to change; it enables us to change what we could never change on our own.

Zacchaeus and Amazing Grace

Zacchaeus was one of the most hated men in Jericho. As a tax collector, he would extort money from people, taking far more than they owed and keeping the extra for himself. People wanted him dead. He was the lowest of the low.

But when Jesus came to town, something in Zacchaeus wanted to see Him. He climbed up in a tree to get a better view. And then Jesus did something nobody expected. He didn't preach to Zacchaeus. He didn't tell him to get his life together first. He simply said, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today."

That's it. No conditions. No requirements. Just grace.

And immediately, Zacchaeus was transformed. He said, "Jesus, I'm going to give half of everything I have away, and if I've taken anything from somebody that I shouldn't have, I'm going to repay them four times over."

What compelled this change? Grace. Pure, unmerited favor. Grace entered his home and immediately he was different.

The Power of Grace

Effort tries. The law demands. But grace empowers.

Paul said it perfectly: "By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect" (1 Corinthians 15:10). Grace doesn't improve you; it transforms you. It enables you to do what you could never do in your own strength.

Some of you reading this are going to get your miracle through grace. You're not going to have to go through intense pain or wait for a vision or search for wisdom. Grace is just going to grab hold of you and give you the capacity to change that you never had before.

Just like with Zacchaeus, Jesus isn't waiting for you to invite Him. He's inviting you. Grace exposes and empowers at the same time. It shows you who you really are while giving you the power to become who God created you to be.

Your Moment for Change

Here's what I want you to understand: God is going to use one of these four processes in your life. You don't get to choose which one. It's not like customizing a house where you pick the blue carpet. God does it how He needs to do it for your specific situation.

Pain wakes you up. Vision lifts you up. Wisdom compels you forward. Grace enables you to become what you could never become on your own.

Whatever area of your life needs to change, whether it's:

• An addiction that's held you captive
• Anger that destroys your relationships
• Fear that keeps you from your calling
• Shame from your past
• Toxic patterns that run in your family

God has a process specifically designed for your breakthrough.

Your Prayer for Change

If you're ready for change, pray this with me:

"Jesus, I need you in my life. I ask you to forgive me of my sins. Thank you for using my pain to get my attention. Thank you for giving me vision of what my life can become. Thank you for wisdom that compels me to action. And thank you for your grace that enables me to change what I could never change on my own. I surrender my life to you today. Make me new. In Jesus' name, Amen."

here