God is into change. It’s one of our basic purposes here on earth – to be changed. Almost every epistle the Apostle Paul wrote was instructing Christians how to transform into the image of Christ.
The things he told those in the church at Corinth and the other churches are good instruction for us today.
In the midst of his explanation about the difference between the law and liberty, he said. “Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”1
Unveiled faces is referring to the fact that Moses’ face was shining so much after being in God’s presence that the children of Israel were afraid of him. So he put a veil over his face. However, he took the veil off when he spent time with God.2
Mold Our Lives To Christ’s Image
What Paul was telling the Corinthian Church is that as we mold our lives into the image of Christ, as we allow Christ to shine in our lives we are changed from glory to glory.
To me this means I am like an onion. I have many layers that have to come off before I get to the essence of who I am. As I allow God to remove the negative stuff and in its place bring the positive I am becoming more of who He designed me to be.
The real goal is not necessarily a physical change, though in my case one of the most radical changes I have undergone is physical losing 260 pounds. The goal is to that my life become God’s letter written not with pen and ink but carved on my heart3 in the location that no one can take it from me.
We work out our salvation here in this earthly body.4 We won’t always have a body, but it is in the body that good and bad deeds are done and we will answer for these.5
And God works in us to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purposes.6 That means every change He orchestrates in our lives is for our good and not our disaster.
I look back at my rebellion when God tried to orchestrate what anyone in their right mind would say was a good change in my life. That of eating healthy, exercising and losing weight.
And yet His simple plan set up a wall of rebellion in my life and years of trying to negotiate and finagle to get my own way. I wanted my cake (weight loss) and to eat it too (the actual cake). These two things are mutually exclusive for me because I can’t eat just one piece of cake or one cookie or one of anything sweet.
Thou Shalt Not Eat Sugar
One is too many and a thousand is not enough. God knew this about me and kept trying to show me the truth. As my friend Anastacia Maness said in her story in my book, Sweet Change: True Stories of Transformation, “There is no commandment that says, ‘Thou Shalt Not Eat Sugar.’”
I know this is because there are many people who can eat sugar and limit how much they eat. I am a sugar addict, though. Once I start, I have a hard time stopping. The easier thing for me is to stay completely away from all sugar.
For me the verse that incorporates not eating sugar is this one. “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.”8
Sugar mastered me, so I had to give it up. In the surrender came a freedom I never knew existed. It is true that I am no longer interested in being a slave to sugar or flour. The combination of both is deadly to me.
It is a change that has led me closer to God than I have ever been. I need His strength and power to help me on this journey. I know His grace is sufficient for me for His power in made perfect in my weakness.9
God’s Change Is For Our Good
When God asks us to change, encourages us to change or shocks us into changing He is doing it for our good and to bring out His will in us. His will for us is abundant life,10 nothing less.
I see that clearly now in my own life. God wasn’t trying to keep me from something I loved. He was trying to keep me from something that was killing me. He was trying to give me more than my greatest request, my most unbelievable dream and exceed my wildest imagination. He was trying to give me over the top blessings through His miraculous power that constantly energizes me. 11
He wants the same for you, but it doesn’t happen when we refuse to change. Remember this the next time you feel God leading you to change. God is into change. And if it is His change, it will always be for your good and His greater good.
Check out Anastacia’s story along with others in Sweet Change: True Stories of Transformation available on Amazon by clicking the title.
1 2 Corinthians 3:18 NKJV
2 Exodus 24:29-35 NKJV
3 2 Corinthians 3:3 NKJV
4 Philippians 2:12 NIV
5 2 Corinthians 5:10 NKJV
6 Philippians 2:13 NIV
7 Jeremiah 29:11 NLT
8 1 Corinthians 6:12 NASB
9 2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV
10 John 10:10 NIV
11 Ephesians 3:20 TPT
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Sweet Change: True Stories of Transformation includes stories of weight loss and change from 18 ordinary individuals, yes, Teresa too! Plus additional information from Teresa Shields Parker. Get your copy as an instant download by going here>>https://www.teresashieldsparker.com/sweet-change-order/ or on Amazon HERE.
Don’t forget to check out Sweet Grace: How I Lost 250 Pounds and Stopped Trying to Earn God’s Favor and the Sweet Grace Study Guide, both are available as instant ebook download. Just click the book titles to take you to the order page which also has the Amazon link.
Teresa Shields Parker is a Christian weight loss author, coach, podcaster, and speaker, who has lost 250 pounds and kept it off since 2013. Her books include: “Reconnecting Jayne: Her Sister’s Support,” “Rebuilding Jayne: Her Father’s Protection,” “Sweet Grace: How I Lost 250 Pounds and Stopped Trying to Earn God’s Favor,” “Sweet Grace Study Guide,” “Sweet Victory: Winning the Battle,” “Sweet Surrender: Breaking Strongholds,” “Sweet Journey to Transformation: Practical Steps to Lose Weight and Live Healthy”, “Sweet Freedom: Losing Weight and Keeping It Off With God’s Help,” “Sweet Freedom Study Guide,” “Sweet Change: True Stories of Transformation,” “Sweet Hunger: Developing an Appetite for God,” and “Sweet Excuses: Stop Lying to Yourself & Start Losing Weight.” She also offers Overcomers Christian Weight Loss Academy and VIP intensive coaching. Don’t miss her weekly podcast, Sweet Grace for Your Journey, where she shares tips from her personal journey of losing weight and discovering healthy living. Contact her at [email protected].
I was just catching up on my unread emails today and I’m glad I chose to click on this post when I did. Thank you for sharing my story, Teresa! I’ve already given a book to one of my friends that had asked me several times what I’ve done to lose the weight.
My husband also started reading the book as soon as it arrived and has gone back to being sugar free for a week now. I really appreciate all you are doing. You are making a difference beyond what you may ever see in this lifetime.
Thanks so much Anastacia. You know how it is. You write posts and books and you don’t know if anyone is reading or not. One person on my page told me they were on the third chapter of Sweet Change and was already in tears. Emotion tells me that the book is touching the heart which really is where change has to start first.
Your story is awesome and I hope you get many chances to share it. I will be sending out an email when I am going to plan the launch party. Maybe you can plan one in your area and we can figure out how to get books to you so you can sell. There is a cost but you would make some money as well. I want to be able to offer this to all those in the book. I’ll send you an email soon.
Blessings.