“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.”
Count Leo Tolstoy
Years ago when God took me through some emotional healing, a few people commented on the light around me. When darkness flees, light comes in. When hurt exits, holiness enters. All my hurt kept God’s light from coming into my heart. Countenances are changed and intimacy with God deepens when our hearts are made whole.
Time alone with God produces a noticeable change in our countenance and character. Transformation occurs as a result of spending time in God’s presence. This happened to Moses in Exodus 34:33-35. “When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. But whenever he entered the Lord’s presence to speak with Him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, they saw that his face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the Lord.”
When we spend time with God, other people notice. Besides our countenance changing, our attitudes are transformed. Instead of holding onto unforgiveness, we release the offense from our hearts. Instead of being critical of others, we become grace-givers and speak words of blessing. Our speech changes by being in God’s presence. It becomes “full of grace, seasoned with salt.” (Colossians 4:6) Instead of slandering or putting people down, we build others up. Time spent in God’s Word causes His truth to permeate our minds. Instead of believing the lies from the enemy, we tell ourselves the truth.
Moses covered God’s glory upon him when he was with people, but when he went to be with God he took the veil off. Likewise, when we meet with God, nothing is to be hidden. Our sins and shame can be freely exposed to a loving and forgiving God. He sees it all anyway.
I want my time alone with God to make a difference within me so that others notice His glory and are attracted to it and want it for themselves. What would happen if all Christians spent time in God’s Presence and were transformed? What if our speech, attitudes and actions were changed as a result of spending time with God? Would our faces be radiant, drawing people to the Lord?
“And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (II Corinthians 3:18) May our time alone with God transform us so that we can change the world.
“The world does need changing, society needs changing, the nation needs changing, but we never will change it until we ourselves are changed.”
Billy Graham
Relevant Reflections:
1. How has spending time in God’s presence changed you?
2. What differences do others notice as a result of your time alone with God?
3. Ask God to use your transformation in order to draw others to Himself.