When God Meets Us: What Changes?

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In last week’s blog, we reflected on how God meets us everywhere—in our ordinary routines, our doubts, our grief, and our joys. So, what’s next? When God meets us, what changes? 

If we revisit the people from Scripture from last week, their encounters with the Lord produced a transformation. They left the old self behind and stepped into a new self. A genuine encounter with the Lord leaves us profoundly different. 

• Moses left a life of exile and fear to be a shepherd-leader
• Hagar went from being invisible and abandoned to assuming a new identity—seen, known, and loved by El Roi (the God who sees)
• Zaccheus left a life of greed and deceit to become honest and generous
• The Samaritan woman walked away from her sin and shame to become an evangelist
• Saul became Paul, a crusader for Christ
• The Paralytic arose from his mat and left paralysis behind
• Peter, Andrew, James, and John left boats, fish, and tangled nets to lay down their lives
• The Thief on the cross found forgiveness and entered Paradise

As we read in Scripture, some who encountered the Lord experienced monumental shifts in their lives, from an old way of being into a new. Their paths changed direction completely. Maybe you’ve had a profound moment with the Lord that changed everything for you—the way you live, speak, parent, work, pray, or minister. Praise God for that transformative encounter!

The Quiet Work of Grace

You may think that such life-altering stories only happen in the Bible or to other people. Perhaps your story doesn’t feel extravagant; there is no “road to Damascus experience of falling off your horse,” no major conversion that you can recall. Yours is a story of the tortoise—slowly and steadily walking, tripping occasionally, standing up, and following again faithfully, just like the rich man.

The rich man asked Jesus what he needed to do to inherit eternal life, but he lived with a divided heart, torn between his possessions and giving himself entirely to the Lord. As the story goes, the rich man went away sad because he couldn’t part with his things. We don’t know how long the rich man stumbled, but according to early Christian tradition, the rich man was named Mark, the author of the Gospel of Mark.

The Tortoise

God works in many ways to transform us—from the inside out. Sometimes it’s sudden. More often, it’s slow. A softened heart, a clearer sense of purpose, freedom from shame, the courage to obey, the boldness to forgive—all are signs of steady grace.

Whether you fell off a horse like Paul, ran to town like the Samaritan woman, or walked the slow, faithful path like the rich man, it all adds up to transformation. God is not only present in the sudden conversions but also in the quiet, steady work of renewing hearts, one small experience at a time. The only thing He needs is a willing heart, open to change.

When we encounter God—whether in a powerful moment or slowly over a lifetime—we are never the same. Like Hagar, we undergo an identity shift: from invisible to seen, from forgotten to known, from unloved to deeply cherished. We become beloved children of God as we heal, not just for ourselves but so that we can carry His blessing into the world. The future of the world depends on your heart and mine being transformed by grace. 

“For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?” Isaiah 43:19(NLT)

Take a Moment to Reflect

• Where have I encountered God?
• What changed—or is changing—as a result?
• Where might God be inviting transformation in your life now?