The Power of Change: Effort vs. Earning
Why grace doesn’t cancel discipline—and how spiritual growth actually happens.
Wisdom Scripture
1 Kings 4:29–30 (NIV)
29 God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore.
30 Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt.
Wisdom Quote
Second, wisdom is understood as discipline—that is, both a curriculum of study and a structured form of behavior designed to lead to the formation of character. Character was shaped through study, reflection, and the actualization of virtue in both discourse and action.¹
Insights: Effort vs. Earning
When you decide to work hard at growing your character, you may encounter objections like these:
“God does not ask you to try hard, but to trust Him.”
“Let go and let God change you.”
“Your own work does not save you, nor does your own effort sanctify you.”
These teachers tend to emphasize grace and God’s power. As a result, they argue that trying hard, agonizing over changing your behavior, or exerting effort wastes time, produces no real change, and reveals a trust in self rather than in God.
But this is not true.
Effort is not the same as earning.
Listen to Paul’s counsel to Timothy:
7 Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.
8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.
9 This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance.
10 That is why we labor and strive.
— 1 Timothy 4:7–10
Timothy is to train himself in much the same way athletes engage in physical training—through discipline, effort, and consistency. Notice something important: because Paul trusts in the living God, who is our Savior, he labors and strives. Grace leads to effort, not apathy. Effort flows out of gratitude.
Paul makes this even clearer in Titus:
11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.
12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age.
— Titus 2:11–12
God’s grace teaches us. It inspires us to say “no” to worldly desires and “yes” to godly actions. Grace does not exclude effort; it motivates discipline.
Dallas Willard captures this well: “Grace is not opposed to effort; it is opposed to earning.”
You grow by trusting that God gives you the power to change through the Holy Spirit. The Spirit empowers you to grow, convicts you of sin, comforts you with God’s grace, and inspires you to choose God’s path over your own.
Footnotes
¹ Perdue, L. G. “Cult, Worship: Wisdom.” Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry & Writings, edited by Tremper Longman III and Peter Enns, 2008, pp. 79–80.
