Battled & Bruised

I will be battled, likely to become bruised, and I may even fall. But no matter how far I fall I will always stand to fight another day, for I have faith to lead me along my way.

Steps of Transformation

Steps of Transformation - With quoted material from “Save Me” by Killswitch Engage (KsE)

When asked recently about the process that I had undergone during my spiritual transformation, I at first had very little to say beyond the somewhat obvious: I came, I asked, I was transformed. However, after I had thought more on the issue, I have come up with these few steps that helped me during my own transformation. I don't claim in any way that these steps will be effective for anyone else, I just know from my own experience what I had found helpful.

I believe the first step in a proper spiritual transformation is to realize our own faults and that we are in need of saving. This step can often times be the hardest to complete, for our false-notions of perfection and invulnerability are often very difficult to overcome. “I've made so many mistakes, I've broken so many promises. I've searched inside and I'm empty” (KsE). We need to search our hearts for what we wish to change in ourselves. For in order to ask God to transform our lives, we must first recognize our faults and be willing to publicly share our failings. It is not just enough to admit to ourselves, but we also must be willing to acknowledge our broken hearts to those who we can confide in. We must come to terms with the fact that we are all slaves to broken values, and that we alone cannot fix our brokenness.

Once we have accepted our faults and have come to the understanding of our need for transformation, then we can move on the second step: which is to believe that the Lord has both the power to save and transform our hearts. “Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12:2). We must firmly believe without a shadow of a doubt that God has the power to transform us, and that He will work to create change in our hearts. “To break the cycle, I must turn to You. What I lack I gain through Your virtue, I gain through You” (KsE). We must to turn to God, for only He has the power to transform our hearts.

The third step in the transformation process is to ask God to save us. “Shattered by the hate that I carry, take me as I am and make me whole again. I am lost without a purpose, always consumed by self. I freely give this calloused heart, can you, can you forgive me?” (KsE). In order to be transformed, we must ask to be transformed. “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” (Mathew 7:7). However, when we ask the Lord to save us, we need to do so by offering to Him all of our faults and failings, our whole broken heart. It is an all or nothing deal, we must give it all to Him. “Now I don't have much, will you save me? But I'll give it all, will you save me?” (KsE).

The fourth and final step is to continue to fight with all your strength to remain traveling in the path of the righteous. Real change does't happen in a straight line, rather real change is a dance of grace. “What once was hidden, now is crystal clear. Transformation is within me” (KsE). Transformation never truly ends, we are always fighting a constant battle against the forces of evil influence that worm their way into our being. It is important to never give up the fight, and to always continue to maintain the righteous transformation that God has empowered in our hearts.

Action

"There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening, that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and will be lost." ~ Martha Graham