A choice to be holy 

Have you ever wondered how one encounter with God could change everything? Not just your habits, but your heart. Not just your actions, but your entire perspective on life. Holiness isn’t about striving for perfection or living under the weight of rules. It’s about stepping into the life God has always wanted for you—a life marked by freedom, purpose, and intimacy with Him.

Paul's words in Romans 12:1 hit me like a wave: "Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship." It’s not about ticking spiritual boxes. It’s about surrender. Daily, wholehearted, messy surrender. Holiness is not a duty but an invitation—to give God all that I am, not because He demands it, but because His love is worth it.

For years, I lived like holiness was a checklist. Pray. Read the Bible. Avoid the obvious sins. But it felt hollow, like I was missing the point. Then one day, reading 1 Peter 1:16—"Be holy, because I am holy"—I realised holiness wasn’t about me trying harder. It was about letting God in deeper. It wasn’t about rules but relationship. About letting God shape the deepest places of my heart, the ones I preferred to keep hidden.

So, I started small. Waking up a little earlier to sit in silence and let God speak. Reading Scripture not for information but for transformation. Asking hard questions about my motives and attitudes. Choosing honesty when it was easier to lie. Choosing patience when frustration came quicker. Choosing to bless when I wanted to walk away.

It wasn’t glamorous. There were days I got it wrong, days I wanted to give up. But something began to shift. Fear lost its grip. Anxiety gave way to peace. I found joy in simplicity and strength in God's quiet whisper. The change wasn't dramatic, but it was deep. My soul started to breathe again. Holiness became less about rules and more about intimacy—about walking so closely with God that His love started to shape everything in me.

And that’s what holiness does. It transforms. It changes not just what we do but who we are. Galatians 5:22-23 calls it the "fruit of the Spirit": love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Not a checklist but the natural overflow of a life rooted in God. It's a transformation from the inside out, slow and steady, like seeds growing beneath the surface.

There were moments when I struggled, when the old habits tugged at me, and I felt weak. But then I remembered Philippians 2:13, "It is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose." I wasn’t in this alone. God was with me, shaping me, strengthening me. His grace was enough for every stumble, every moment of weakness. Holiness wasn't about never falling; it was about always getting back up, always turning back to Him.

And the reward? Oh, the reward is joy. Deep, soul-satisfying joy. Psalm 16:11 says, "You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence." Holiness has brought me closer to God, deeper into His presence, where peace is richer and love runs deeper than I ever imagined. It's not about loss; it's about gain—gaining freedom, hope, purpose, and the certainty that my life is in His hands.

And it doesn’t stop with me. People notice. They notice when you live differently, when peace marks your steps, when kindness shapes your words. Holiness isn't about looking better; it's about living real. It's about being authentic, honest, and surrendered. A holy life points people to Jesus in a way words never could.

Choosing holiness is choosing life. It’s choosing to surrender what doesn't satisfy for the One who always does. It’s about saying, "God, I trust You. Shape me. Lead me. Make me more like You." Not because it's easy, but because it's worth it.

So today, I choose holiness. Not out of obligation but love. Because I want the life God offers. The life of joy, purpose, and peace. A life that's free and full. And I know it starts with surrender. One small, honest, messy step at a time.

Will you choose it too? Amen.