Change Happens in God’s Power, Not Mine

“For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” Philippians 2:13 (NLT)

To experience God’s hope and comfort, I need to see who he is in order to see who I really am—it’s only then I’ll be able to see how he can change me.

Change often triggers two negative reactions. First, “I don’t have the time or energy to change.” Life feels too busy—too many responsibilities, too many tasks, too much to handle. Second, “Who am I kidding? God can’t change me. I’ve tried a hundred times, failed, and feel like I’ve disappointed everyone, including God.”

Both reactions come from the false belief that change depends entirely on me. That mindset is exhausting and discouraging. If I have to sustain my own motivation to change every day, I’ll eventually give up. But God offers a better way.

Isaiah 40:28-31 reminds us where true power comes from: “The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint” (NLT).

Real change isn’t about my power. It’s about God’s power working in me. Picture this: my efforts are like a hummingbird whose little wings are fluttering so fast. I flitter here for hope, there for hope, up for hope, down for hope—trying to get hope in my life.  I'm worn out by trying to get to a place of hope on my own.

But God’s power is like an eagle, soaring on the updrafts of wind. Eagles don’t struggle—they rise because they are designed to catch the wind. Similarly, God designed my soul to soar on the updraft of his love, not my own striving.

To tap into his power, I must stop flitting from one place to another in search of hope and instead say, “God, I need you. I trust you moment by moment.” That’s when I'll feel the updraft of his love, strength, and power.

Philippians 2:13 says, “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him” (NLT). God gives me the desire to change, even when I don’t feel it, and he also gives me the power to take the next step. Change happens when I stop relying on my own strength and start trusting in God’s strength and power to transform  life.

Hope doesn’t come not from trying harder, but from trusting deeper. God wants me to remember this truth and to continually turn back to him because he is the one who gives me strength to soar.  

In summary:

True change doesn’t come from my own effort but from God working in me.

Philippians 2:13 reminds us that God not only gives us the desire to do what pleases Him, but also the power to do it. When change feels overwhelming or impossible, it’s usually because I think it all depends on me. That mindset is exhausting and unsustainable.

But God never grows tired or weary (Isaiah 40:28–31). He gives strength to those who trust in Him. Rather than flitting through life like a tired hummingbird chasing hope, God invites me to soar like an eagle—lifted by His strength, not by my striving.

The key is to stop relying on my own power and instead trust God, moment by moment. Real hope and lasting transformation come not from trying harder, but from trusting deeper in God's strength and love.