The discipline of becoming; if there is ever hope for the believer to become like Christ
It is ferried through the vehicle of becoming.
God is not a magician who suddenly waves a magical invisible wand and boom we are like Christ.
Even Jesus, when He came in time, followed Heaven’s due process of becoming.
Consequently, in our walk with God as believers one of the most undervalued,
Yet profoundly transformative truth is this: you are always becoming, it is a present continuous truth.
You stop being like Christ the moment you stop becoming like Christ.
That’s why,
every decision, every act of obedience or disobedience, every choice to trust or to retreat
are not just moments; they are movements shaping who we are becoming in Christ.
Sometimes, we often search for dramatic spiritual encounters to define our journey.
Are the dramatics bad or wrong? No!
However, if we focus completely on the dramatic what of when God decides to come in the cool of the evening.
That’s why, God’s greatest work in us happens in the daily grind of obedient becoming
in the quiet, sometimes uncelebrated, behind-the-scenes shaping of us.
2nd 3:18 “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image…..
The Call to Become; The Discipline of Becoming
Faith is the starting point of salvation (Romans 10:9). But belief is only the beginning
Sometimes, it seems that people only get born again and stop there.
Erroneous teachings and lasciviousness has taught people that all you need to do is to get born again and it’s over.
But then, God doesn’t just want converts. He wants disciples. Followers.
Apprentices who will become like Christ in thought, word, and deed.
Romans 8:29 “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son…”
Becoming like Jesus is not what is optional—it’s the goal of our journey.
That is how we can approximate to sonship and attain maturity.
Therefore, obedience is the vehicle of transformation.
Meaning that we don’t just drift into Christlikeness.
We are formed through the daily discipline of obedience.
Obedience is not legalism. It’s the tangible way we show our devotion to Jesus.
You can’t say you’re becoming like Jesus and ignore the areas where He calls you to obey.
And obedience in its nitty gritty is often uncomfortable because we might be demanded to do what we don’t feel like.
Obedience is Often Uncomfortable
The discipline of becoming; I’ve often asked why is it that God doesn’t “usually”
ask for obedience in the areas that are easy for us. He goes straight to our comfort zones, our patterns, our pride.
He would say give even when it’s inconvenient.
Sometimes, He would tell us to speak even when it feels risky.
And at other times, He would say stay silent when it would have felt good to retaliate or even defend oneself.
Be it known that every act of obedience stretches us—and stretching is always uncomfortable.
It is moving us beyond our elasticity limit until we come to the point we say Jesus help me to give up the wheels😭
If God can get us to that place, He would have made progress with us with regards to becoming!!
Hebrews 12:11 “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness…”
We become through the discomfort, yes very uncomfortable but it brings us to the place of true comfort.
Ps: Transformation is always preceded by obedience.
Obedience is the Soil of Identity, The Discipline of Becoming
The discipline of becoming; Many times as believers, we are stuck in identity confusion.
This is because we have not obeyed God in the last thing He asked.
That’s why God really needs to help us because it is easy to obey when we don’t have another option.
But what of when we have many options?!
We want to discover who we are, but we don’t realize that identity is not just revealed—it is forged through doing what God says.
Gideon never really believed he was a mighty man until he went to fight the Midianites just like God instructed.
Even Moses never knew he could lead the children of Israel but nonetheless he obeyed God’s instructions.
Our true self is uncovered in our doing, not just your hearing.
If you go through the scriptures, you will see that the Israelites were free from Egypt.
But Egypt wasn’t free from them. Their mindsets, behaviors, and instincts were still shaped by slavery.
God used obedience in the wilderness not to restrict them, but to retrain them.
In the same way, God asks us to obey, not just for moral excellence,
but to undo the grooves of sin carved deep into our souls.
That’s why, every time we obey, even when it’s hard, a new groove is carved.
A new identity is shaped. A new freedom is birthed, God begins to reign more.
Delayed Obedience Is Still Disobedience, The Discipline of Becoming
My father Apostle Edu would always say “obedience is obedience if it is prompt”
Sometimes, we forget that we can’t obey God on our terms 😭
That moment of slight disobedience, or maybe taking time to obey can truncate God’s plan.
God abegggg ooooo, Jesus needs to help us!!
What about times when we are waiting for the finger of God in the sky
What if God’s way of showing up, is not with a finger in the sky!
I’ve found out that the moment you try to analyse something God is telling you…you loose out
God can never and will never be handicapped or stranded!!
As soon as Saul chooses to disobey, a David is already being prepared in the wilderness
And when he came into the picture he did what God said to the latter (God was his number one audience not men).
Often times, we postpone obedience under the guise of “praying about it” or “waiting for confirmation.”😭
But delay is dangerous. It dulls conviction and gives room for compromise.
It is a call for us to ask Jesus to show us help again 🙏
Psalm 119:60 “I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands.”
Speed matters in obedience. The quicker our yes, the deeper our transformation.
At the root of every disobedient act is distrust in God’s character.
Lastly, obedience is trusting that God’s plan is always better, even when it feels harder.
The Hidden Rewards of Obedience
The discipline of becoming. We might not always get it right. Yes! That’s true.
We might even stumble and fall. But God is looking for a heart that says yes again and again.
Always recalibrating our compass to His will. Is God there then we find our bearing there.
Obedience might not always bring immediate rewards, but it always brings eternal ones.
Anytime we obey, we are rewarded with clarity, we begin to hear God more clearly.
Then, there is authority, God entrusts more to us because we have obeyed what He’s already given.
Do I talk about the peace He brings, a supernatural peace that follows surrendered obedience.
and finally favor, obedience always opens doors no man can shut.
Deuteronomy 28:1-2 “If you fully obey the Lord your God… all these blessings will come on you and accompany you…”
Ps: Be it known, God is a rewarder of those who obey—even in obscurity.
Also, obedience is often the answer to our prayers
Sometimes, we might be praying for change while ignoring the step of obedience God already showed us.
For example, we might be praying for a ministry platform, but He’s asking us to serve in hidden places.
Meaning that obedience is often the missing key between prayer and manifestation.
Consequently, obedience is not just doing right—it’s feeding your future.
Obedience is not transactional—it’s relational.
The more we know God, the more we trust Him. The more we trust Him, the more we obey.
Conclusion
Obedience may not look glamorous. It’s often lonely.
It’s rarely applauded. But in God’s eyes, it is beautiful.
Because every yes to Him echoes in eternity.
Every act of surrender builds something eternal in us.
And every step of obedience draws us closer to who we were born to become.
Whatever it is, our “yes” today shapes who we are tomorrow.
Becoming is the journey of a lifetime
We won’t suddenly become Christlike in a year.
But every moment of obedience brings us closer.
Most times, God is even more committed to our becoming than we are.
And He always finishes what He starts unless He wasn’t the one who started it.
You can check the article Finding Strength in Seasons of Blessing https://thebelievershub.com/2025/04/29/finding-strength-in-seasons-of-blessing/
References
The Bible hub https://biblehub.com/kjv/2_corinthians/3-18.htm
Thebelievershub.com
