What does it look like when the kingdom of God begins to shape us from the inside out? In Matthew 5:6–8, Jesus describes people who hunger and thirst for righteousness, who are becoming more merciful, and who are growing in purity of heart. These aren’t people who have it all together, but people who are being changed by Jesus and learning to desire what God desires and becoming more like him.

As you listen, consider what Jesus might be forming in you. Are you growing in your hunger for what is right, both around you and within you? Is mercy becoming easier to extend, even when the wrong is personal? Are you becoming more honest with God about what is happening in your heart? The good news is that this work doesn’t begin with us trying harder. The King has come near, and Jesus is faithfully at work in us.