We are always being shaped by what we surround ourselves with, living in a world where the draw to follow the pattern of self is all consuming. Often the hardship faced in following Jesus discourages people from pursuing this kind of life because it feels either too works based, or it is a resignation to a sin-lifestyle. The believer must understand that the suffering of the flesh is not a bad thing, but in fact a good thing. This allows for a sowing to the spirit which grows when the flesh is starved or brought into obedience. The work of conforming focuses on changing the look of the tree while the work of transforming focuses on changing the seed that the tree grows from. We can primarily focus our attention on exterior behaviors and appearances which can seem futile or we can primarily focus our attention on internal growth in the spirit which yields fruit much later in external experience…some only seen at the end of this age when the body is done away with. This is seen most clearly in scripture where the work of Jesus in us is compared to a treasure in a jar of clay or a seed that is incorruptible that is in a shell that corrupts.
