For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Philippians 2:13 (NKJV)
Over the years, I’ve talked to many people who were struggling to overcome something in their lives. Some have such trouble handling anger that they are tempted to commit murder. Others worry to such an extent that it has taken over their lives.
Some struggle with addiction and don’t believe they’re ever going to be set free. They feel like they’re always going to want it so badly that it’s all they’ll ever think about, day in and day out. They think that even if they drum up enough willpower to stop doing it, they’re still going to want to do it.
While that kind of willpower can cause you to resist what tempts you, that’s not freedom. It’s a great start, but a higher level of freedom is possible, and it’s summed up in today’s verse.
God doesn’t just work in you to do good things. He also works in you to want to do good things! There’s a big difference!
If you partner with him, God can change what you desire. You need to trust and believe that you have his grace—his power and ability, his full provision for your life—and you have it free of charge (you don’t have to earn it). The more you understand and believe this, the more you experience the effects of this grace in your life, and it doesn’t just give you the power to walk away from wrong things. It causes you to actually want good things, and that’s true freedom.
Keep trusting in the fact that God’s grace is yours as a believer, and you’ll be empowered to live life his way…and love it!