“Transformed”
by Dianne Prince
“For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles” (Galatians 1:13, 15-16, NKJV).
Before Saul became Paul, he persecuted the church of the living God, going out of his way to sow chaos, confusion, turmoil, and aggravation among its members. He was fixated on the destruction of everything Christians stood for. However, on the Damascus Road, Paul experienced a life-changing confrontation with Jesus, which transformed his attitude, heart, and vision. After encountering Jesus, he underwent conversion, received salvation, and embarked on a lifelong mission to preach the gospel to others.
Like Paul, we’ve all encountered Jesus in ways that have transformed our lives. There have been moments when we found ourselves heading in the wrong direction, associating with the wrong people, engaging in the wrong activities, and driven by the wrong motivations. But through God’s grace, our hearts were changed, our minds reset, and we were set on the path of living with integrity.
There may be individuals around us whom we’ve written off, but God has a remarkable way of transforming even those we’ve deemed hopeless. He can change the hearts of those we’ve rejected, excluded, or cast aside. Because Jesus is the ultimate transformer, He can intervene in the lives of those we’ve given up on, altering their plans, priorities, and entire outlook.
Only God truly understands what lies within a person’s heart. Just as Jesus sees potential in those seemingly wasting their lives, displaying anti-Christian behavior, or lacking love for God and humanity, so too can we. Since Jesus never gives up on them and looks beyond their faults, we can do the same.
For those in our lives who haven’t reached their potential, who haven’t realized their capabilities, or who are determined to make life difficult for us, it’s important to recognize that there’s a divine force at work within them—a force greater and more powerful than our own. Through God’s grace, in His time and manner, they too can experience transformation, and He will set them on the right path.
