How does God actually transform one's heart?

How does God actually transform one's heart?

Growing up as a Christian I have often heard rallying cries for congregants to “be transformed.” I have heard it whispered, shouted, and even made into awkward hip-hop lyrics from pulpits throughout Southern California. It’s like one of those banners attached to a small airplane, the ones you see flying over the beach on a hot summer’s day. Although this banner wouldn’t say “Budweiser,” it would say “be ye transformethed,” or something esoteric like that. The words float listlessly by, as we stand, mesmerized by the droning airplane motor.

It’s easy to throw around this phrase, without considering the implications. But as Christians, I believe there are tangible moments in each of our lives, where we have been transformed by God. This happened to me about two years ago when I decided to go on a Mission to South Africa with Rock Harbor.

Even before I heard about the Mission, I had been working through a season in my life where I was dealing with “fear.” Fear of being out of control, of trusting God; fear of resistance, and doing things differently. For a variety of reasons I felt that the Lord wanted to grow and mature me in my faith. In Romans 12 Paul gives us a laundry list of what it means to live a transformed life. Christ makes this possible, but He is always (gently) calling us to be transformed further, deeper. So as I worked through my “fears,” I would intentionally do things, or seek out projects where I could essentially address and overcome these fears. It felt exhilarating. At the time, I remembered having an excitement, and a slight trepidation, about “what is next.”

Then one day at Rock Harbor, I was minding my own business, when I felt a nonchalant punch from God. There on the screen was an announcement for a mission trip to South Africa. My heart sank. I knew I had to go. Now, I had never done anything like this before in my life! I was 29 at the time, and I had never been outside of the country (save a few times to Mexico). It had been ten years since I last flew on an airplane, and I generally didn’t like traveling, or the possibility of communicable diseases like Typhoid or Malaria. This sounded scary! It sounded like I would not be in control. Exactly what God wanted to use. He had been transforming me, drawing me through a process of addressing fears, and developing trust and faith in Him.

So, I said yes, and went to South Africa.

The point of this blog is not to recount the story of my mission in South Africa during the summer of 2010, but I will say, in all honesty and humility, that the days I served in Africa were, by far, the best days that I had ever lived in my life. It was an experience that not only met, but completely exceeded, all of my expectations. But the point of this blog is “transformation.” The point being that God had taken me through a process of transformation (addressing and conquering my fears) in order to bring me to a place where I was willing to step out in faith and totally trust in him. For me this was expressed in the form of a Mission Trip to South Africa. Having gone on that mission, God transformed my heart even farther, beyond what I could have imagined! I discovered a new-found joy of traveling and serving people. Celebrating, laughing and crying with people. Hearing about injustice, and striving to enlighten others to the suffering that is going on around the world. Suffering, that I believe, grieves the Lord! My heart was transformed in an unexpected way!

Global mission work is now a natural expression of my faith. In the two years since going to South Africa, I have served with other mission organizations in Central America, the South Western U.S. and most recently to Israel/Palestine. Now I am by no means suggesting that everyone must go on a Mission trip to Africa to be transformed, but for me, that helped. The idea is being open and willing to be transformed, allowing God to take you to places you never would have dreamed. “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2).”

Sincerely,

Shawn Thomas