Philippians 2:13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

We live in a world that desperately needs the healing, hope, and redemption of God. There is a lot of work that must be done, a lot of ministry that must be given, and a lot of help that must be offered. It is easy to be so focused on how much your world needs that work of God that you lose sight of the fact that the first work He wants to do is inside of you.

Here are three ways you can embrace the internal work that God desires to do in your life:

•Realize that the internal work God does in your life is to have an outward affect. To change the world, God first changes the heart of His people. It is so easy to work on good projects and miss out on the good work that God wants to do in you. God does not just desire to work in the world around you; He wants to change the world by working in you.

•Realize that God imparts good desires in your heart. God plants good ideas and good plans in your heart for His glory. Your desire to serve the Kingdom of God is evidence that God is transplanting His heart into yours. 1 Timothy 3:1 says, This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desires a good work. Notice that Paul told Timothy that the desire is a good thing. Stop questioning the source of your good desires and start stewarding them instead.

•Realize that God gives you the power to do what He puts in your heart. The plans and desires of God can never be done in your own power. He always calls you to opportunities and situations that are bigger than yourself. If the opportunity is not intimidating to you in the natural, then you may be pursuing the wrong thing. Realize that no matter how great the challenge may be in front of you, God’s power working through you is always more than enough.

Today’s Challenge: Recognize that God desires to work in your life. He is not just working around you or beside you. He desires to do His greatest work in your life. Embrace His work by acting on His desires and trusting His strength to accomplish His mission.