What will and won’t change when you submit yourself to the Spirit?

By Dean Collins

A tiger can’t change its stripes. A leopard can’t change its spots. And there are some aspects of our personality that are not going to change, either. Can a person change? Of course. As we mature, gain wisdom, and certainly when we are transformed by the power of the cross, there must be significant change. To follow Jesus means we follow Jesus in how we treat and serve others. As far as I can tell, not many would say their mind, heart, and behavior reflect Jesus in every way. Striving toward, yes, but not there yet.

Most any personality inventory or assessment you take will typically allow you to understand your talents and preferences. And most of the psychologists involved in the research and formation of these assessments say that while any of us might behave in a variety of styles, each of us tends to have a preferred style or way of thinking and behaving. However, as we mature we can learn to tap aspects of our personality that aren’t our normal default.

Continuing determination

We see some of this in the life of the apostles. While Peter and Paul both had a dramatic change in their sense of mission and love for others, much of their strong and bold determination continued to show through in their lives and ministries.

As we follow Paul through the book of Acts we see some of what changed and some things that didn’t. In our first introduction to Paul, we see aggressiveness and violent behavior. But we must remember these behaviors were couched in his zealous religious training. He was 100 percent committed to God’s Law and he was determined to enforce his understanding of it. When Saul became Paul, both his name and his heart changed, but his determination and passion to do what he understood God wanted him to do did not change.

We get a glimpse of this in Acts 20. Paul, now an apostle on a mission to spread the good news far and wide, experienced both remarkable success and serious opposition. He was determined to go to Jerusalem. Luke used the phrase “constrained by the Spirit.” Some scholars believe the Holy Spirit was guiding Paul in this moment, while others say not. It’s interesting in the next chapter to find disciples who said the Holy Spirit told them Paul should not go to Jerusalem. At minimum there is caution here about claiming what we are being told or led to do by the Spirit. I think if we focus on our daily surrender to Christ, pray for the Holy Spirit to guide us, and demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit in our daily interactions, we can be confident the Holy Spirit is indeed guiding us.

Changed heart

Back to the tiger and his stripes. God’s grace changed Paul’s heart. Acts 20 ends with him quoting Jesus and explaining how we should approach others: “In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Paul certainly didn't have that attitude or behavior before he was transformed by the gospel and filled with the Holy Spirit. And even after this powerful transformation, Paul was a driven guy. Some of his traits were clearly still in place.

Before I became a Christian I was someone who kept a lot of things moving, made decisions, and focused on achievement. Now as a follower of Jesus, I am still wired that way. But now wisdom from God and the Holy Spirit keep me in check when my wiring pushes against the fruit of the Spirit. Gentleness, love, patience, kindness, and so on must still be my behavior, even as I am driven to get my job done.

Paul’s natural gifts and the gifts of the Spirit were both active and in play after his conversion, and we see his growth in the Spirit as time went by. The same thing can be true for you and me.

Serving, shining

The last thing I will mention from Acts 20 is this: Paul had a ministry from God. I can’t find anywhere in the NT suggesting that we are any different. Every Christian is a minister and has a ministry. Some ministry work is on stage and visible to virtually everyone. Other ministries may be less public but are equally important as together we all advance the kingdom of God.

Enjoy the stripes or spots you were born with. But never become satisfied with staying exactly like you were. We must allow the Holy Spirit to continue to mature us and make the light of Christ in us shine brightly for the glory of God.

Your time with God’s Word
Acts 8:3; ‭20:22-27, 35‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Photo by Ralph Mayhew on Unsplash

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