The Grace of Transformation

When we think of dependence on God we associate this with meeting our external need. Dependence of God is not to have a self but to rely on God for everything.

So, depending on God also means depending on him for our internal transformation. We often blame external factors for our problems and challenges. These are just the outcomes. The source of our difficulty lies in our relationship with God. So, when we turn to God, the first thing God changes are our relationship with him and the core of our being. In so doing, so is our world transformed.

There are two sections to this topic. The first are the graces of internal transformation and the second are the graces of transforming our relationship with God. Many of these graces are already included in the other chapters. Here are the rest. As you read the graces, I advise you to reflect upon how God defines each grace.

1. Graces for Internal Transformation

We are so preoccupied with our opinion of ourselves or the opinion of others. What really matters is that we concern ourselves with God’s opinion of us - that we are perfect in the eyes of God.

We have been taught that we can change ourselves, and so we try. As God said, we can never create ourselves as perfect as He can. Even the grace to change is something we need to completely depend on God to do for us. I had an easy time accepting this because when I used to teach businesses, I would say: copying what other businesses are doing is not going to help you become them. You need to think like them. So is it with emulating Christ. If the objective is to be like Christ, we need to think, feel and see the world as He does and not just follow His actions. Our actions must be a true reflection of who we are.

Does this then mean that we are to do nothing and just keep on doing and being the same? NO! We must be willing to be changed and accept Him as our self. Regardless of why we became the person we are, we need to call wrong “wrong” rather than justifying it. Then, we need to see the beauty

in who God is and desire to be the same and hand over ourselves to God so He can heal and change us.

Repentance doesn’t mean indulging ourselves with guilt (guilt-trip) or making all kinds of self-sacrifices to impress or show God how truly sorry we are. This is not necessary. A sincere apology is enough. It is not about self-recrimination, it is about restitution. Our role is to simply say yes to God’s saving work.

Here are sculptures given to me or others on graces of internal transformation.

The grace to have compassion for others

A “heart thermometer” with a High Temperature reading.