Want to change?

Changed

It is that time of year when many of us plan to change. The truth is, few of us do. Or at least we do not change in the way we planned. We plan to change our diet and hope that changes our weight or health.  But then our friends come over with leftover holiday pie and treats. We feel bad about rejecting their gift so we fill our refrigerator and later our mouths with their love/pie. And that was a change of plans.

Change never ends. We all are changing, aging, learning, and dealing with circumstances new today that were not their yesterday. The snowfall and your back pain require a change of plans. The budget and the holiday bills require some adjustments. A fear or a faith, a desire or suffering, all bring to our lives change. And it happens almost every day.

So why is it hard to change? Why can’t we make changes we desire when we are actually changing all the time?

When change is a part of our lives, we adapt and except. When we plan it, we are required to supply both the motivation and the new conditions. Conditions meaning the new actions or way we want to live. When life supplies the conditions we only need to be motivated to get through. So when life changes us naturally we need half the energy and willpower that we need when we are the ones seeking to both supply the motivation and conditions. 

So if you want to change, get help.

But let’s be honest. How do we usually treat those who are helping us do what we said we wanted to do? How do we treat our family and friends when they remind us that we don’t want to eat or drink that? How do we emotionally relate to people keeping us accountable, who check our computers, our bank records, and our recently watched list?

So now we have even more stuff on us. We want to change so we need to supply the motivation, the conditions that will allow the change and the new emotions to deal with those helping us change. Add to that a little rejection, a little defeat, a little pride and some self-love and you have the formula for almost any good resolution lasting 27 minutes.

I’m not an expert on change. But I am an expert on trying things. This is what I am going to try this year. In fact, I have been trying this for a little while. I am not going to try and change. I am going to try, and BE CHANGED.

All through the Bible, we have stories about God changing people. Sometimes he changes their circumstances to change them. Sometimes He changes them through relationships, sometimes through a move of the Spirit. I am signing up to be changed by God. To invite God into my life on a formational lever and ask His help in supplying what I need to change. Supplying circumstances, emotions, accountability, and motivation.

This doesn’t mean I am placing all the burden on Him. I’m not about finding an easy way. Only a Godly way. A way that is authentic. I’ve tried the old soul power and the willpower methods. I’ve tried the methods of meditation. And since I am an expert at trying, I am going to give God a try. I’m going to make the Creator the main resource in my development and give Him full access to my life. Even if I don’t like it.

What does that look like? It looks like me and God. If you try it, it will most likely look like you and God. Since you are not me. God is personal you know. So, life in God is not a one-size-fits-all even though all His ways are true and just for all of us.

So, I am going to look for God’s help and direction in all the ways He tends to work in my life. I will look for God to motivate me through conviction and direction. I will look to find my strength in Him when I am weak and want to quit. I will try to live more for Him than for myself. Seeing what I do as His will and not just my desire. I will be open to sacrifice and suffering. I will try and allow God to meet my emotional needs and not have my needs met by my own activity and means. I will not fear failure but work through failure with hope. And I will enjoy, rejoice, be glad and celebrate as much as I can. Joy in the Lord will be my strength more than joy in Rod.

This may not work. But I’m giving it a try.

Hey, if you need something to read while you are being changed I would love for you to read one of mine. Click here to go to my author's page and see if anything interest you.