The song “Rejoice” by U2 was a song I was well familiar with when I was listening to it one day in the newspaper office at Point Loma Nazarene College (I may even have been dancing!) when the this line struck me:

“I can’t change the world but I can change the world in me.”

That line became like scripture to me. I even wrote a column about it for The Point.

Most of us are powerless to affect great change but we can all be better, kinder, more thoughtful people, which helps make the world a better place.

So living by that standard, I thought I was a pretty good person.

Around that time, I also internalized the Apostle Paul, “I’ve learned to be content in all circumstances.”

I worked on being calm, rational, stoic, even.

Recently, the Holy Spirit has revealed to me, primarily by slowly reshaping me, or that’s how it seems, what an utter failure I was at being truly kind, truly giving, truly content in all circumstances.

In fact, I was pretty selfish usually, thoughtless often, and meger in my generosity.

I was no where near God’s standards for that kindness of heart, the circumscision of the heart, Christians are called to foster.

I’ve learned a lot about what God expects of us over the past several months, and because of that, I know I still have a lot to learn.

But I do want to tell you, Jesus is real and if you allow him, he will reshape you into a person better able to ride out life’s choppy waves.