I wana live for God but im really struggling to do so, I see so many bad habits I still need to work on like my language altho I have improved alot in the last year, I wana sin less and be closer to God but He feels so far away, I want Jesus to be my main Desire in life but I just struggle with that at times, any advice anyone has for me im 18 and I feel very confused and a bit lost and can't see a plan God has for me right now, glory to Jesus because without Him I am nothing and this time in my life is showing that fully. Thank you all who respond and God bless you.
As I'm sure you know, a dog begets a dog, a cat begets a cat, and a duck begets a duck. Like begets like, right? You don't get a duck from a dog or vice versa. So, if God wants us to be godly, if He wants our lives to beget godliness, how does this happen? We are human: fallible, sinful, weak and ignorant. It's pretty obvious we can't make ourselves godly. We can only make more of ourselves. How does God make us like Himself, holy, loving, wise and stable?
Well, God tells us in His word, the Bible, that
He changes us. A dog begets a dog and God begets godliness. Makes sense? We don't change ourselves; we can't. We're too weak, too easily drawn to sin, too selfish and foolish. We need God to do for us what we can't do for ourselves. He knows this, which is why He says it is
His job to change us, not ours.
Philippians 1:6 (NASB)
6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 2:13 (NASB)
13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
Romans 8:13
13 for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
1 Corinthians 1:8-9
8 who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.
Ephesians 3:16-21
16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,
17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
20 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,
21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
And so on.
By what means does God change us and make us godly? By the
Holy Spirit who lives within each of His children (
Titus 3:5; Romans 8:9-11; 1 John 4:13). It is in the Person of the Holy Spirit that the power of God works to transform us into godly, Christlike people. But, the Holy Spirit is a gentleman. He won't force you to live God's way, to put yourself under God's will. He will work to
persuade you to want His rule but He won't grab you by the throat and force you to it. At every moment, God is looking for
your agreement to continue the journey into holiness that He is wanting to take you on. But, if you dig in your heels and choose your own way, if you choose sin and selfishness, well, God waits 'til you're willing again for Him to continue His transforming work in you. For many people, God may wait decades until they've become so damaged and unhappy with their rebellion and sin, that they are finally willing to submit themselves to God's will and way. Some never get to this place.
You give God the freedom to change you by your submission, your yielding, to God throughout each day. This is the key to being transformed by God. Not Self-effort, not doing for God, but letting Him do for you.
Romans 6:13
13 and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.
Romans 6:22
22 But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.
Romans 8:14
14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
Romans 12:1
1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
James 4:7-10
7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
9 Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom.
10 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.
1 Peter 5:6
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time,
Don't get confused: trusting God and obedience to Him are related very closely to submitting to God but
they aren't the same thing. Don't tell yourself, "I trust God and obey Him, so I'm submitted to Him." Not necessarily. The Pharisees obeyed; they were professional "obeyers." But Jesus said their hearts were far from God. It is possible, then, to obey God while not really being submitted to Him. And you and I trust all sorts of people all the time (dentists, doctors, other drivers on the road, the cook at your favorite restaurant, etc.), without submitting entirely to them as God calls us to do in our relationship with Him. Lots of people trust God - here and there. But they don't give themselves up lock, stock and barrel to Him, to His will and way, to do as He wishes with them every day, all day.
This is the only way to really walk with God deeply and fully and to enjoy Him. He won't walk with us except as our Leader, our Master, our God and King. Here's a great sermon to help you think this all through:
