Paul writes something beautiful and transformational in 2 Corinthians 3:18: "And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." The image Paul uses is fascinating. When Moses came down from the mountain after being in God's presence, his face glowed so brightly that he had to put a veil over it. But for those in Christ, Paul says, the veil is removed. We can behold the glory of God with an unveiled face — and as we behold Him, we are changed. Transformation in the Christian life is not primarily the result of trying harder. It is the result of beholding. When you consistently spend time in the presence of God — in prayer, in Scripture, in worship — something happens. Slowly, steadily, you begin to look more like the One you are looking at. This is why the spiritual practices of your life matter so much. Not because they earn you anything before God, but because they are the means by which you place yourself in His presence. And presence has a way of rubbing off. The people who spent the most time with Jesus in the Gospels were changed by it. His courage became their courage. His compassion became their compassion. His clarity became their clarity. The Holy Spirit is the agent of this transformation. Paul says it comes "from the Lord, who is the Spirit." You are not transforming yourself — you are cooperating with a work that God is doing in you. Your job is to stay in the room. Keep showing up to the relationship. Keep fixing your gaze on Jesus. And as you do, you will find that over time, people around you notice something different about you. Not because you have worked so hard on yourself, but because you have been in the presence of the One who changes everything.