Are you seeking to improve yourself? What are you seeking to improve? How are you planning to improve? Do you think it will come easily? Or do you understand it will be challenging? Who are you asking to help with your improvement? Have you asked Jesus to help?
If we look for self-improvement books, we will find more than we can count. They come in a variety of topics, including relationships, money, habits, psychological, discipline, anxiety, thinking, and more. There are even more books to learn new skills.
Unfortunately, many of these books purport quick changes. When it comes to changing our way of thinking or ridding ourselves of bad habits, it often takes time. We can’t completely change ourselves in a day or two. We can take the first step. Though we may hear the phrase, “the first step is the hardest,” that is not true. The first step is hard. But it is the continual walking on the path of change that is the hardest. Therefore, we must discipline ourselves to stay the course.
John the Baptist speaks about Jesus before He shows up to ask John to baptize Him. He talks of Jesus baptizing us with the Holy Spirit and fire. The imagery is not to be taken literally. It is true that we will receive the Holy Spirit at our baptism. However, we are not literally baptized with fire. Yet, the analogy is appropriate. Much like silver and gold are refined and purified with fire, we are refined and purified by the Holy Spirit.
Our part is to be willing to be refined and purified. We can be changed through the work of the Holy Spirit if we are willing and continue to ask him to change us. It will not happen overnight. It takes time. Largely due to our unwillingness. The Holy Spirit chips away at our old self to reveal the person God created us to be. Over time, the impurities are taken away and the person God desires us to be is revealed.
I pray we all seek to improve ourselves. I pray we are willing to improve ourselves. I pray each one of us will allow and ask the Holy Spirit to refine and purify us, making us into the person God wants us to be. Seek self-improvement. Be willing to improve. Allow the Holy Spirit to change you.
Luke 3:16-17 “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
Marty Pressey 