Day 12 - Transformation Takes Education & Effort

Scripture Reading — 1 Samuel 10:1-11; 1 Peter 1:13-16, 1 Peter 1:10-12

For many years the United States has said children must attend school through age sixteen. Why? Simply because education is a means of transformation!

The same is true in our Christian life. We have a part to play in our spiritual transformation. God desires continual, consistent growth, and Christ calls us to keep growing every day. We must keep learning if we are to keep growing. If we don’t put our abilities to work, we won’t accomplish much. If we want true spiritual transformation, we have to be willing to work for it. If we don’t put in enough effort, we won’t bring about change.

Personal growth typically demands that we learn enough to make us want to change. In many ways we have become a religiously illiterate society. But our culture will surely remain shallow and immature if we don’t strive to learn the things of God.  In some churches when people reach adulthood, they stop attending education classes such as Bible study and Sunday School. The result? Many people stall in their spiritual growth. But if we don’t learn new truths, we don’t grow—in fact, we lose the knowledge we had.

Peter urges us to first prepare our minds for action. Then Peter instructs us to persevere all the way to the end through self-control. The Christian life is hard work from beginning to end. Transformation takes our mental powers and our muscle power.

When Saul was anointed king, Saul began to change. The Spirit of God took hold of his life, and the people around him knew that something special was happening. They saw this transformation and recognized him as their king. But it was not a consistent change. Saul disobeyed God. He stepped over the limits of his authority and refused to let God’s transformation of his personality continue.

Change must be continual and consistent to be effective. But thankfully even our human effort is a gift of God.

Heavenly Father, thank You for providing us with tremendous potential. Lord, our progress in the faith is often minimal. Our spiritual growth is inconsistent. May our spiritual fervor increase and may our love for You be renewed each day. Enflame our minds, O Lord, and give us the motivation and desire we need in order to be faithful to our calling to serve You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.