The call of Jesus was not about doing better and changing yourself. The call was to follow Jesus. Jesus’ primary concern is not about changing you. Jesus wants far more for you than just change. He wants you to—“deny yourself…follow me” (Mark 8:34). This is personal to Jesus because He personally loves you and wants to awaken you to new life in Him!

There is a difference between changing and awakening. Change deals with what is external. It puts you in a new place, a new relationship, or creates a new look. But the change you need must be deeper to bring you what you really want.

The problems you deal with and the issues you fight against are far more than just external issues that need to be addressed. The change you want can’t be found in moving to a new place, getting back to a new normal, escaping to a new adventure, running to a new relationship, or stopping certain behaviors.

You need something more than self-help hype, religious moral teachings, or the latest YouTube video promising simple steps to a great life.

This is what makes the invitation to follow Jesus so incredible. 

Jesus wants to give you a new way to live – a life lived with Him, following Him. Don’t skip over this incredible truth…Jesus wants you! Not the cleaned-up morally good version of you, but the you who is broken, who is hurting, who has done things that make you feel unworthy of His love. The you who is full of fear, regret, shame and feels trapped. He wants you to follow Him because He wants you.

As you follow Jesus, He changes you. It’s not a simple tweak. It’s not instantaneous. But when you keep taking steps to follow Jesus, you look back on your life and realize that He was changing you along the way.

Change is not just a matter of bending your will to do what Jesus calls you to do, but a total redefining of life altogether. The focus is not on doing something, but on following someone— Jesus Christ.

The change Jesus desires for us to experience is the eternal, abundant, and extraordinary life that can only be found in Him. 

Change is always personal to Jesus because He is the source of change. In following Jesus, you are awakened to the life that you have been looking for all along. Why settle for change when Jesus wants to awaken you to an entirely different life as you follow Him?

Awaken Moment – Take time and pray something like this: Jesus, teach me to keep following You. You are my source of change. I believe that as I follow You, You will change me. I have victory over destructive behaviors that at times I just cannot seem to overcome. Joy that is not determined by the circumstances that I experience. Peace that can endure beyond the stress of my life. Hope that is so rock solid that nothing can crush it. Love that fulfills every need I have for security and acceptance. Power to overcome all things through the strength You give me.