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For 30 years, Christian leader and spiritual adviser Billy Graham has been offering advice to the thousands of readers who share their problems ...
Read more about By Billy Graham, Tribune Media Services.
For 30 years, Christian leader and spiritual adviser Billy Graham has been offering advice to the thousands of readers who share their problems ...
Read more about By Billy Graham, Tribune Media Services.
Does God Expect Me To Change My Personality?
By Billy Graham, Tribune Media Services
Q: I've always been a fiercely independent person, feeling I could
solve all my problems on my own (and I usually have). Well, last year
I became a Christian, and now people are telling me I need to change
and become meek and mild. Does God expect me to change my whole
personality? -- Z.S.
A: When we come to Christ, the Bible says, God comes to live within us by His Spirit, and we aren't the same people we once were. Our goals change, our habits change, our behavior toward others changes -- all because Christ is now living in us and is the center of our lives.
But this doesn't mean our personalities necessarily become totally different. Before he met Christ, the Apostle Paul (who at that time went by his old name of Saul) was a bold, strong-minded, focused personality with one goal in life: to stamp out the Christian faith. Christ changed this -- but instead of completely changing Saul's personality, God redirected it and channeled it. Saul the persecutor became Paul the preacher, fearlessly carrying the Gospel throughout the Roman world.
Don't misunderstand me, however; God did change Paul. He took the rough edges off his personality, and put within him a new love and joy. And God wants to do the same with you, as you submit yourself to His control. Paul said, "I can do everything through him who gives me strength" (Philippians 4:13).
God knows what you are like; after all, He made you. Commit your independent streak to Him, and ask Him to redirect it and use it for His glory. Ask Him also to take away your rough edges, and make you more like Christ every day.
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Send your queries to "My Answer," c/o Billy Graham, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, 1 Billy Graham Parkway, Charlotte, N.C., 28201; call 1-(877) 2-GRAHAM, or visit the Web site for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association: www.billygraham.org.
(c)2008 BILLY GRAHAM DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.
This news arrived on: 10/09/2008
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Posted Comments:
10-09-2008 10:31
Kay Akharume wrote:
Does God Expect Me To change My Personality
The sure answer to this question is YES! if not how would the world know the difference Christ has made in you, but it's a good change not anything so drastic, but a subtle change will definitely be noticed.
The way you can acheive this is not to stop being too dependent on your strength, in Zechariah 4:6 tells it all, all we do is done only thru the grace of God abound in our lives so, when we boast it should be in the Lord.
You really don't have to change your personality much, except that whatever you do now credit should be to God cos it could not have been done without His Grace and that's what will make the difference.
The way you can acheive this is not to stop being too dependent on your strength, in Zechariah 4:6 tells it all, all we do is done only thru the grace of God abound in our lives so, when we boast it should be in the Lord.
You really don't have to change your personality much, except that whatever you do now credit should be to God cos it could not have been done without His Grace and that's what will make the difference.
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