The Father's purpose for each of his children is to transform us into the likeness of his Son Jesus; and he truly is at work in us! "We are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit" (2Co 3:18). But we can slow the process down by hardening our hearts, by refusing to die to self and by refusing to humble ourselves before God and others. In others words by refusing to be like Jesus who was always full of grace and truth; and truth here is about being real rather than legalistic (Dr Henry Cloud). "Put off your old self … be made new in the attitude of your minds … put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness …" (Eph 4:22-24).

Paul, who most of us would consider one of the godliest people who have ever lived, said, right at the end of his life: "I don’t mean to say … that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me [when he takes me home] … one things I do, forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on …" (Php 3:10-14).

A few days ago I felt God challenging me with the question: "From what do you need to be transformed?" The thought that immediately came to mind was the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a flying creature; specifically from a chrysalis to a beautiful butterfly. And the Greek word used in the Bible for our transformation is "metamorphoō".

In the natural world, this radical change is more of a crisis than a process; and it is the same in the spiritual world. When we are born again we become a new creation; in an instant we are transformed into the image of Christ. "By one sacrifice he has made perfect for ever [he has transformed into the image of Christ] those who are being made holy [those who are works in progress, submitting to God's discipline throughout their lives]" (Hb 10:14).

Some species of butterfly remain in a chrysalis for two years and some spend this time buried in the earth. Its shell is extremely hard. Once a butterfly, its body is extremely soft and delicate. It emerges by deliberately splitting its shell or by eating its way out. It is hard work. The differences between a chrysalis and a butterfly couldn't be more stark and absolute. I am a butterfly not a chrysalis.

Our life-long spiritual transformation is from living for ourselves to living for Him and others; from being judgemental and disapproving to extending grace; from criticizing to encouraging; from pride to humility; from self-justification to quick repentance; from keeping a record of wrongs to swift forgiveness; from thinking the worst of others to thinking the best; from a spirit of sadness to one of joy; from grumbling to being grateful and appreciative; from running others down to finding good things to say about them; from being resentful to being pleased when others succeed, are blessed and honoured; from hardness to softness; form legalism to empathy, understanding and helpfulness; from frowning to smiling; from bringing down to building up. In short, from all that emanates from the evil one to all that is seen in the life of Jesus and the way he always treated sinful people like each one of us. We all have areas of weakness and we are commanded to help the weak (1Th 5:14). Let's make ourselves accountable.