We are all called to transform into the image of God. However, how fast we change depends very much on our response to God. It depends on whether we are humble enough to learn. As we age, rightfully we should be more attuned to God and sensitive to our sins. Our transformation process should also speed up. But this is usually not the case, the process actually slows down instead for many of us. Why is this so?
We change what is easy to change first. We usually experience the greatest change in the initial days of our faith. There are many areas we need to change and they are easy to change. But after some time, we are stuck with those stubborn habits and sins. It becomes more difficult to forgo and change as a result.
We may have more knowledge and experience as a Christian. As we grow older, we become wiser. We learn from our experience and pick up new knowledge too. These knowledge and experience should help us, but they could also stumble us. It all depends on our attitude. There are many occasions when people become prideful. They become too confident of themselves because of their knowledge and past experiences. They think that they are always right based on their judgment. As such, they become less mouldable by God. This is an area that church leaders have to beware. We can become too confident of our strategies, our management techniques and our biblical knowledge that we squeeze God out of our picture. In the end, we end up building an anthropocentric church.
We have entrenched beliefs and practices about God. Over the years, we form what we think is right about God. There might also be certain practices that are peculiar to us. Well, if we have a strong theology, getting all these beliefs and practices firmed up is good. But more often, we have a syncretic worldview. We mix our current beliefs with our old beliefs. We apply some of our old practices, and even superstitions into our current practices. Due to the fact that they are entrenched in our belief system, it is difficult to change even if we attend church or Sunday school every week. We see this very often among the elderly who come to know the Lord at an old age. We can also see this among some church leaders. When I was attending the seminary, many pastors just argue for their own position and were not willing to consider or accept other views. I think we should always keep our minds open to learn more about theology, especially in a seminary. There are still many things we do not know about God and we should learn from one another.
Dear family, let us should seek to be transformed by God when we are young. Learn to respond to God and do not always react defensively toward Him. Do not let our knowledge and experiences become a stumbling block. Always reevaluate, renew and review. As we get older, stay open and humble. There are things we can learn from the younger ones and be discipled by them. Do not see yourself as someone who has attained something. Learn to appreciate the grace of God in your lives.