Day 2. Heart Change
Questions 1 and 2
“It is as if my very nature is changing. I’ve asked God to please change my heart, make me hate the things I’ve been doing, and instead love Him. He is hearing me and changing my heart.” Linda
The Cat and the Pig
Did you know that cats are remarkably clean animals? They meticulously groom themselves with their tongue and paws, which can be quite a fascinating process to watch.
On the other hand, have you ever seen a pig engage in such behavior? Of course not; it goes against their nature, as pigs prefer to wallow in the mud. Even if you tried to teach a pig to clean itself, it would likely not be successful and would eventually return to its muddy ways.
Of course, we are humans, not cats or pigs, but the fundamental principle remains the same: we all behave according to our nature.
You and I were born with a nature that is selfish. It’s called the sin nature, and it’s in all of us. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Jesus said, “...everyone who sins is a slave of sin” (John 8:34). “Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things…” (Romans 8:5).
My sin nature is why I turned to drugs and alcohol for comfort and escape. It’s why I lusted and acted on those desires, despite hurting other people in the process. And my sinful nature is why I tried to escape into entertainment, hobbies, religion, and other false sources of comfort.
Question 1. What indications do you have that your nature is sinful? Please share.
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There is ample evidence that all people are born with a sin nature. For example, children don't need to be taught how to lie or be selfish. In fact, we have to patiently teach children how to share and tell the truth. Sinful behavior comes naturally. Just as the salt in the ocean flavors every drop of water in it, sin affects every part of our being.
But, the good news is that God can change our nature. He does this by changing our hearts. We can see how this change happens in the passage below:
“...He has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires” (2 Peter 1:4).
Question 2. According to 2 Peter 1:4, what do God’s “great and precious promises” enable us to do? “...so that through them you may participate in the ..."
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God has made promises in His Word that allow us to share or “participate in the divine nature.” This means that when we read and believe His promises, we become part of God's divine nature instead of living in our sinful nature.
This change in our nature helps us escape from our sinful desires. God brings about a miraculous transformation inside of us, changing our very hearts. Just as if a pig became a cat, it would naturally want to be clean, similarly, after this change in our nature, we want to do what's right.
And if it were possible for a pig to become a cat, it would not be a pig in recovery. Its nature would be different.