We saw together that our way of seeing things can transform our actions. How many times have we had the wrong preconceptions about a person and acted accordingly? When we realize we’ve made a mistake, we change the way we see them, and act more respectfully as a result. The way we see things transforms not only our actions, but also our hearts and emotions.

At the same time, our actions also change the way we see things. I have a friend who I’m helping to overcome his pornography addiction. Let’s call him Freddy. When he watches porn, he always tells me that it transforms the way he sees the women around him. They become nothing more than sex objects. What’s more, his viewing depresses him and gives him a bad self-image. In Freddy’s case, we can see that his actions are transforming both his outlook and his heart.

This brings us to the following diagram:

So there are many ways to change. The Holy Spirit is, of course, at work in every change of heart. Let’s take a moment to consider what this pattern means in concrete terms in our lives.

Approach angle

This diagram teaches us that we can have several angles of attack for change. Sometimes, changing the way we see things is the easiest way to change our heart and therefore our actions. But there are times when changing our actions and habits is the easiest way to change our outlook and our heart. So when we can’t really change our hearts, we have to ask ourselves… is it easier to change my habits or worldviews in this regard?

Often, as Christians, we balk at doing something if our heart isn’t in it. This is because by doing so, we think we’re being hypocritical. However, if we wait for a change of heart before we act, we can sometimes wait a long time. When Jesus tells us to love our enemies he’s not saying « wait until you feel good about your enemies before you do good things for them ». On the contrary, he asks us to do good things for them until we can finally feel good emotions for them. Loving others doesn’t always begin with an emotion, but with concrete actions. Timothy Keller in his book on marriage quotes C.S. Lewis who explains this:

« the rule for all of us is very simple. Don’t waste time wondering if you ‘like’ your neighbor; act as if you do. As soon as we do this, we discover one of the great secrets. When you behave as if you lived someone, you end up loving them. If you hurt someone you don’t love, you’ll find yourself pushing them further away. » (Mere Christianity).

So let’s choose our angle of attack carefully. Sometimes it’s interesting to try and work on both at the same time.

Vicious or virtuous circle?

Let’s take a step back. Instead of looking at our diagram in two dimensions, let’s put it in 3D. By doing so, we obtain two spirals, one virtuous and the other vicious (in the picture, you can swap « Worldview » and « Habits » without any problem).

In his book, Timothy Keller continues his quote from C.S. Lewis:

« the same spiritual law works terribly in the opposite direction. The Germans, perhaps, first mistreated the Jews because they hated them: then they hated them a lot because they had mistreated them. The crueler you are, the more you hate; and the more you hate, the crueler you become – and so on in a vicious circle forever. »

The smallest action or view of things can be fraught with consequences. This, in a positive or negative sense. So let’s not neglect the smallest things in our lives. Let’s pay attention to little negative thoughts like « I can’t stand him » or actions like not praying for several days… All these things shape our hearts and make us grow or destroy us exponentially. These are two ways in which the Holy Spirit changes our hearts. May we seize them to transform our lives into the image of Jesus Christ’s.