Acting out of faith

With the theme of the transformation of our being, the metamorphosis, the exciting question arises: what does God do and what must man do. "Let your being be transformed!"It is a passive voice with the imperative mode. The imperative shows us that we should strive for transformation, knowing that we cannot bring it about ourselves.

In the letter to the Thessalonians there is a sentence that shows us our responsibility: "We never cease to pray for you, that our God will make you ready for the life to which he has called you. And we pray that God will fill your good intentions and what you do by faith with his power."(2Thessalonians 1:11 NLB). God is to prepare us for the life to which he has called us. What is meant is mature adulthood, brought about by metamorphosis. Our task is to have good intentions and to act out of faith. This is the button to push so that by God's power the miracle of transformation happens.

On the other hand, those who let themselves drift through life without purpose or aim only grow older, but not more mature in the sense of being like Jesus. Those who have no idea of what should be transformed in them will not experience it either. This is the reason why veteran Christians are sometimes bitter, opinionated, burdened with worries and fears, self-righteous or unpopular.

Therefore, it is worthwhile to set a metamorphosis goal for the year. Why not formulate a goal from one of the eight virtues from the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12), write it in the spiritual diary and pray for it daily together with the small group? In the course of a year, many opportunities then arise to act in faith according to the intention. And - from an unsightly larva, a beautiful butterfly emerges over time.

I will have a special opportunity this summer during my sabbatical. There I will have a lot of time to look at Jesus in the sense of 2 Corinthians 3:18. I hope to fly home as a butterfly.