The Daily Dose: Our Character Must Be Changed - How Character Is Transformed

"But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."

2 Corinthians 3:18

Becoming like Christ is not about outward behavior alone, but it is a deep inward change brought about by God as we cooperate with Him. This transformation is both spiritual and practical, involving the heart, mind, and daily life. 2 Corinthians 3:18 teaches that transformation happens as we focus on Christ. The more we behold Him, the more we become like Him in character.

One of the most powerful principles is that we are changed by what we behold. Drawing from 2 Corinthians 3:18, Scripture declares, “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory…” This reveals that transformation happens as we focus on Christ. As we fix our thoughts on Jesus, His love, His purity, and His life, we begin to reflect His character. This process is gradual and often quiet, but it is real. The more time we spend contemplating Christ, the more His image is impressed upon our hearts, shaping who we become.

This work of transformation also includes a deep inward renewal. In Ezekiel 36:26, God promises, “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you…” This is not a surface-level change. It is a complete renewal of the inner person, affecting desires, motives, and attitudes. Ellen White emphasizes that true Christlikeness begins in the heart, where God replaces selfish tendencies with new spiritual life.

At the same time, transformation requires a full surrender of the will. Ellen White makes it clear that we cannot change ourselves through sheer determination. Instead, we must choose to yield our will to God. When we do this, He fulfills His promise found in Philippians 2:13, working within us to give both the desire and the power to do what is right. This partnership between human choice and divine power lies at the center of true character development.

Another essential element is the work of the Holy Spirit. Genuine transformation is supernatural. It goes far beyond external reform and reaches into the deepest parts of the soul. The Holy Spirit renews the mind, purifies the motives, and reshapes the desires so that Christlike qualities such as love, patience, and humility naturally grow within us.

Daily communion with God also plays a vital role. Through prayer, Bible study, and quiet reflection, we maintain a living connection with Him. In The Desire of Ages, Ellen White points to Jesus’ own example of constant dependence on the Father. As we follow this pattern, our relationship with God deepens, and transformation becomes a continuous daily experience rather than a one-time event.

But this change is not meant to remain theoretical. It must be lived out. As we practice Christlike living and act upon the truth we receive, our character is strengthened. Obedience becomes more than duty. It becomes a pathway through which God shapes us. Each choice to follow Him reinforces habits that reflect His character more fully.

Trials and difficulties are part of the process. Though often unwelcome, these experiences reveal weaknesses and provide growth opportunities. God uses them to refine and purify us, developing perseverance and trust. In this way, hardships are not barriers to transformation but tools that help mold us into Christ’s likeness.

In the end, we have a clear and hopeful picture. We do not transform ourselves. As we behold Christ, surrender our will, receive the Holy Spirit, walk daily with God, live out His truth, and endure life’s trials, He works within us to change our character. Christlikeness is not achieved overnight, but through a steady relationship with Jesus Christ, it becomes a living reality.