Many of us most likely have heard the phrase, “God’s still working on me.” Although most people seldom think about this, it’s absolutely true. God begins His work on us the moment we’re born, and keeps working until our last day on earth. Although getting born again and becoming His child happens in an instant, the actual work is a transformation process that takes a lifetime and changes us from the inside out.
We are spirits living in physical bodies and possessing souls, which is where our thinkers and choosers reside. Accepting Jesus gives us a spirit as holy and perfect as His; this internal change takes place right away. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). This change puts us in right-standing with God and makes us heaven-ready because our old, sinful spirits have died. However, it may take a while before the change in us becomes visible to the outside world.
Similar to a metamorphosis, the manifestations of change in us are made gradually by the Holy Spirit, who now lives in us. “Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him” (Philippians 2:12, 13, NLT). The results of what God is doing may not be visible right away, but that doesn’t mean nothing is happening. Our transformation is like a butterfly developing in its cocoon or a seed preparing to sprout from underground. Being born again gives us immediate salvation; at this point, we need faith that God is working even if we don’t see anything yet.
Just because we can’t see something with our physical eyes doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. In the spiritual realm, it’s just as real—maybe even more so—than what’s in the physical realm. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Standing in faith that the changes God is making in us will eventually be evident to all brings it to pass.
The prevailing mentality in the world is that people won’t, or can’t, change. This is true for those who don’t believe in God’s ability to transform. To be able to move forward with what God wants to do in us, we need to learn to think differently. Any type of external change always begins on the inside. “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).
Change can be uncomfortable, but it’s completely possible when we rely on the Holy Spirit to do the work in us. We’re called to leave our comfort zone and step out, but we need His guidance to do this. As we go through changes that can seem unsettling, we can also trust Him to remind us of important details. “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (John 14:26, NKJV). He will finish the job.