A long process

Changing our behavior is possible, but it is not easy. The transformation of a life is never something instantaneous that is achieved overnight through a miraculous event that surprises everyone - even the same person - when it happens. The decision to seek God to change your life can be momentary, although some people also tend to experience a more or less long process while others believe in Jesus Christ and quickly repent of their sins upon hearing the Gospel message. Expressing to God the desire to change and asking God for forgiveness is generally a short prayer, although it has eternal implications.

The interesting thing is that not everyone is aware of when what we usually call conversion occurs. While some may identify a dramatic moment in their life of decision, others, especially those who have grown up in a Christian environment, or have listened for a long time to the message of the Gospel, one fine day realize how much what they have learned means to them and they realize that they live surrendered to God. What I intend to teach is that saying "I surrender to Christ" or "I repent of my sins" is a volitional action that although it changes the course of our life, we can take it in a moment and sometimes, not even remember the moment in which it was I take.

When life is surrendered to God and mistakes and sins are recognized, we receive the Spirit of God. In the letter to Ephesians 1.13 he says: "In Him you too, after hearing the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and having believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise" (Eph 1.13) .

Receiving the Holy Spirit more than a momentary experience is the punctual culmination of a pilgrimage that, depending on each one, is more or less long, in which the person becomes aware of the need for a change, until finally he decides to surrender to God.

It should be clear that the process that begins then is long and will last a lifetime. Receiving the Spirit of God does not mean that everything is already changed and finished. We abandoned the old way of life, and now we are going in another direction, but in the same way that when we were born we were growing and gaining strength day by day, the same happens in the spiritual field.

You should not faint or be discouraged when you do not understand everything or when you sometimes falter. You should not despair that some habits of conduct are still struggling to prevail.

You are already on the road and that is the most important thing. God will gradually perfect his work in you.

God bless you!