Have you ever felt like something inside of you was changing, but you couldn’t fully explain it yet?

Maybe you feel hidden. Maybe you feel uncomfortable. Maybe old things are falling away, but the new things haven’t fully appeared yet. Transformation can feel messy in the middle. But what if God  is preparing you for something new?

I want to talk about transformation–genuine spiritual transformation that I believe happens from the inside out.

Romans 12:2 NIV says,“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Galatians 6:9 reminds us to not grow weary in well doing. Lamentations 3:22-23 tells us that His mercies are new every morning. Hebrews 10:35 says don’t cast away your confidence because it has great reward.

God often gives us a vision long before we see manifestation and by faith we can expect the promise before we see the fulfillment.

2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things are passed away; behold, all things have become new.” Not adjusted. Not repaired. Not simply polished up. New.

Sometimes we can misunderstand transformation because we keep trying to just manage where we are when God is trying to change us in ways we never thought possible.

Romans 12:2 tells us not to be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our mind so we can prove what is the good, acceptable and perfect will of God.

The world may try to shape our thinking through fear, pressure, comparison, panic, offense, and even exhaustion. But I believe God transforms us—from the inside out.

Think about a caterpillar preparing for transformation into a beautiful butterfly. Inside the chrysalis, the outer shell, everything looks exactly the same from the outside. But internally, everything is changing.

And spiritually speaking, I have seen people walk away from their goal too early because they don’t see visible progress. But I want to encourage you–don’t quit too early.

My father-in-law, Oral Roberts, used to say something I have never forgotten: “Don’t quit mid-miracle.” I’ve carried those words for years, and now I want to share them with you.

Instead of saying, “I’m in the middle of a mess.” Consider saying, “God is doing something brand new and therefore I’m in the middle of a miracle.”