Key scripture – “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”(Romans 7:24–25a, ESV).

Is there something in your life that you want to change?

Do you know that the process of real change, authentic change, cannot start until you do what Paul did: face and admit the reality of what’s in your heart?

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? “I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.” (Jeremiah 17:9-10 ESV).

In order to change, we need to look in the mirror and acknowledge, “I am the problem.” Let’s accept once and for all that our deepest issues are not due to our parents, our past, or other people. Let’s see our sin the way God sees it, and take total responsibility for who we are going to become. Let’s admit like Paul did in Romans7:24, “Wretched man that I am!”

Are you willing to say that? “Wretched” means distressed or miserable through exhaustion from hard labor. Given the context, Paul must have known what it was to be exhausted from trying to change himself. He reached a point of desperation where he basically said, “God, I want to be a different person. I’m not going to shield myself from the darkness in my own heart anymore. I really want to be the person you want me to be. I want to be righteous, godly, and true. I want to walk upright and blameless, so I’m going to face up to who I really am.”

Maybe you’ve been there, too. Oh, “wretched man or woman” — godly change begins with your genuine, humble, contrite admission: “God, it’s me. I’m the problem.”

Once you’ve faced this reality, there is only one thing you can do: turn to God! Only He can change your heart. Notice these words: “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

As Christ followers, we would love to be able to say to Paul, “Can you break that down and add some stuff, Paul? You have me in this desperate condition and I want the answer, but all you say is ‘thanks be to God’?!”

In reality, God’s solution is so simple we often miss it. The answer is Jesus Christ. He is waiting to do a work of change in your heart. You need to get desperate, go before Him, and ask Him to do what only He can do for you—and in you.

God is in the business of transformation and He wants to change you. Victory will come when you offer yourself completely to the Lord day by day and moment by moment. True life change comes only through partnership with Him. Resolve to pursue authentic change in your life. Admit where you are right now and turn to God. Your wretchedness will fade while your heart fills with the abundance of life in Christ.

What change methods have failed you in the past, or what excuses have you made for not changing? In what areas do you sense God wants to help you change going forward?

Stop trying to change yourself and let God do it – He is an expert at it.

Pray this – Our Precious Heavenly Father, I want to be like Jesus but I know that I have a way to go. I am seeing that no matter what else has happened in my life, the root of my problem is me. Help me to stop blaming people or situations and be willing to take a hard look at my own heart and what truly is the wretchedness in it. No matter what I try, I can’t really change unless You’re at the center. I know You want to change me, so please help! Thank you for paying such a high cost to redeem me, and for the fact that You won’t abandon any work You started in me. Like Paul, I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in me will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6). I trust You and ask The Holy Spirit to help me surrender to the work that You’re doing in me. Father, create in me a clean heart, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10). Continue to change me, mold me, and shape me so that every day I become more and more like Jesus. In Jesus’ Name, I pray, Amen.