The Bible is a living teacher. It is not a dusty old book, but it practically relates to what I’m dealing with in my daily life. Reading my Bible and praying isn’t a religious exercise but enjoying quality time with my heavenly Father. Nothing compares to his comforting peace that fills my mind and heart as I lay my worries down. God refreshes and strengthens me every day. I could go on and on about how much I love spending time with God because he meets my longing for purpose and more than this life.
Everyone longs for love and a purpose in life. All of us want to be happy and content. That’s why we strive for love-relationships, beauty, and success in an attempt to satisfy our heart’s cry for deep fulfillment. While those things are good, they will never truly fulfill us. We could work 16 hours a day trying to get recognized at our workplace. We could go on 30 dates a month hoping to find love. We could clean our house every day for hours trying to reach perfection. Those things will never give us the desired happiness.
The woman Jesus met at the well also longed for deep fulfillment and a better life (John 4:4-26). There’s nothing wrong with longing for something. In fact, it was God who placed our deep desire for more than this life in our hearts so that we seek and find him.
The problem is that we think our longing can be fulfilled when we reach the ideal life (whatever that might look like for you). Wrong. I guess I don’t have to recall the countless stories of rich and famous people who are deeply unhappy. We have heard them too many times, right? But still, we believe that somehow the things we desire give us what we so deeply crave.
When we expect happiness from those things, it can be compared to drinking regular water:
Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, John 4:13
But Jesus wants to give you living water:
but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:14
When you’re a born-again Christian, the Holy Spirit, God himself, is living inside of you (1 Corinthians 6:19). This means you have access to God and his infinite means at all times. In his presence, there’s love, joy, peace, and freedom in abundance – the things your heart is really longing for. Do you want to have it?
Then turn away from your old ways of living and walk in freedom. That’s why Jesus addresses the woman’s dating life at the well (John 4:16). She wasn’t living according to God’s will for her life. That woman hoped to find true fulfillment in a romantic relationship while it can only come from God.
Maybe you seek the Lord and try to find his will for your life. There will be moments when you hear a sermon or read a passage in your Bible and get uncomfortable because it challenges you in unusual ways.
It is interesting because when you start to get serious in your walk with God, you get confronted with the things in your heart that are not in line with God’s will for your life.
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12
God wants to separate you from everything that hinders you to live a truly fulfilled life. He wants to free you from feelings of inferiority, frustration, pain from your past, fears, worries, and self-doubt. For him to do that, you must let some things go and surrender every area of your life to God. Then, he can fill you up with love, peace, and joy.
What does it take for you to let go of your old ways of living and to take on your new life in Christ?
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:22-24
Do you want to keep running after things that won’t fill you up or are you willing to obey Jesus and drink from the living water?
As soon as you’re willing to work hand in hand with God, your quiet time won’t be uncomfortable or boring anymore but challenging in a good way. When you welcome change and decide to surrender and let God do his work in your heart, prayer becomes one of the most fulfilling activities there is.
What seemed like a one-way conversation starts becoming a lively exchange with your heavenly Father about love, life, and purpose. As you grow in your relationship with God, you’ll realize that fears disappear, new possibilities open up and clarity will fill your mind. Areas of your life that threatened to sink into chaos will get into order. What seemed to be long-lost will come back to life again. Your relationships will improve, and your life will be filled with purpose as you embrace the work God’s doing in your inner being. One day you’ll look up, pause, and see how far God has brought you and how much he’s changed you.
All of this starts with a decision to let God move in your heart. He doesn’t just break into your life without your allowance, but gently knocks at your door to see if you’ll let him in.
As has just been said: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.” Hebrews 3:15
Take a leap of faith and say „Yes God, I’m willing to change. Do your work in me“. The moment you pray those words from your heart, God will take over and the greatest adventure awaits you because he has so much more he wants to give and show you.
Read more:
What it means to give up control
When obedience brings blessing
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2 replies on “When God wants to turn your life around”
So timely and powerful message 👏🏻🙌🏻❤️
Thank you 😊