Have you ever been on a sailboat? The one time I had the pleasure of sailing was an amazing experience. We were moving across the water fast—and without a sound.
The thing about sailing is that the power to move you does not come from the boat itself. There’s no motor. No one is rowing. Something you cannot see is carrying you along.
It’s a completely different experience from exerting your own effort to move, such as in running or rowing. And the silence of no motor is almost unnerving to those of us used to cars, planes or even motorboats.
But nothing happens. Your boat will not move, unless you raise the sails.
That’s what Jesus likened the work of the Holy Spirit to. After telling Nicodemus that he must be born again Jesus said, “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit” (John 3:8).
As with a sailboat, the power to change you, to move you, to transform you does not come from your own efforts. You can try all you want to make yourself like Jesus, and very little happens. Oh, you might stir up a few ripples in the water, but you end up only wearing yourself out and becoming discouraged. It’s the Spirit who does the transforming.
But you will not change, you will not be transformed, unless you raise your sails to catch the wind of the Spirit.
Raising Your Sails
We can get downright discouraged and worn out when we try to change ourselves. And we will become frustrated and wonder what’s wrong when we simply sit back and wait for God to do it for us.
Our role in our own transformation is to raise our sails.
Paul talked about this in a Scripture most of you know well; “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but so much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For God is the One working in you, both to will and to do His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:12-13).
God works, and we work.
If you try to do God’s work, you’ll get worn out. And if you don’t do your work, nothing will happen.
How Do You Raise Your Sails?
That’s what we’re going to talk about at the Change(d) Conference coming up this Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018, in Austin, Texas. And I hope you can join us!
In this interactive and practical three-hour event you’ll learn how spiritual transformation happens. You’ll learn how to raise your sails in your physical being, your mind and emotions, your relationships and your innermost spiritual self. You’ll learn the place to go to experience ongoing spiritual transformation—a place you can go over and over again any time you need.
Join me and others for breakfast and a morning of experiencing the change you need, and that God wants for you.
Jesus won’t be satisfied with anything less than your transformation. Will you be satisfied with anything less?
Join me for the Change(d) Conference, and discover how spiritual transformation happens.
Your Turn: In what area of your life do you need to experience God’s transformation? Are you ready to learn how to raise your sails? Leave a comment below. {eoa}
Dr. Carol Peters-Tanksley is both a board-certified OB-GYN physician and an ordained doctor of ministry. As an author and speaker, she loves helping people discover the Fully Alive kind of life Jesus came to bring us. Visit her website at drcarolministries.com.
This article originally appeared at drcarolpeterstanksley.com.
