Sorry, no results.
Please try another keyword
by Bob and Debby Gass
You can’t change people
August 30, 2022
‘Hope deferred makes the heart sick.’ Proverbs 13:12 NKJV
You say, ‘Surely a man or woman can change when they meet the right partner?’ No. Only God can change people—and you are not God! Plus, when you ‘need to be needed’, it can cause you to make disastrous relationship choices in life. Perhaps you have heard stories of people who have experienced massive change through their marriage. But the truth is, the power to change must come from within the person themselves, not from you. When you try to change your spouse, it doesn’t work, and eventually your ‘hope’ for change makes you ‘sick’.
The Bible tells us that deferred hope makes us heartsick. When you keep longing for and envisioning something that never materialises, your heart is torn with disappointment. Then you start making excuses for what’s not working in the relationship, even as it becomes obvious to those around you. Sound relationship decisions are not based on hope alone—especially hope that is blind to ‘red flag’ behaviour.
People of faith often try to spiritualise every issue. In the name of ‘faith’, they downplay their instincts and ignore their sense of unease. That’s not having faith in God! Faith in God should be just that—faith in God. We must not place our faith in fallible men and women, because they will fail us.
God gives each of us a will, but He doesn’t force us to change. Change must come from within each of us as we accept the grace that God extends to us each day. ‘The Lord opened [Lydia’s] heart to heed the things spoken by Paul.’ (Acts 16:14 NKJV) Here is a better option: pray for them, and let God change them!
Soulfood: Gal 4–6 Mark 9:1–13 Ps 119:161–168 Pro 19:3–8
The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright © 2022
Subscribe Today
Have this devotional delivered to your inbox for daily inspiration.
More Inspiring Devotions
American preacher Dr Stephen Olford said, I want to hear the voice of God before I hear anyone elses in...
To grow spiritually, you must get alone with God. When you come into His presence, you should have these attitudes:...
When it comes to lifes great achievers, the apostle Paul is in a league of his own. But he takes...
A pastor writes: When God created man, He made him in His own image. That was Gods original plan, and...
Showing 1-4 of 5702 results