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We are all changing. There is no such thing as “staying the same” or “being static.”
The choices we make today, the things we are doing today become habits. Whatever this is it takes as long to change the thing as it did to grow it.
People are not math problems. The things that affect change in our lives are not numbers in a math problem. It would be nice at times if life and change would be a math equation, but it isn’t.
That being said there are definitely factors that contribute to who we are, as we are, the way we are. These are the things that have to change if we want to change.
Most of us have intended to grow and change all of our lives. The reality is that most people struggle to “do it,” we all struggle to change.
The Bible talks about growing and growing up.
Areas that are involved in changing.
- The desire to change.
- Cooperating with God and what he wants to do.
- Surrender to Jesus.
- Doing something about our thoughts, feelings and attitudes.
- The beliefs we have and hold.
- What feels true to us.
- The commitments we’ve made.
- The choices we make, and the things we base those choices on.
- The memories we chose to remember.
Do we need to change?
No matter where we are in life we all can grow.
Sometimes we are very blind to our own needs. There is a good chance though that those around you have a better view about how you are doing and the needs you have.
Ephesians 4:22-24
There are many stories in scripture told that are very summarized. We get the big picture of things but we don’t get all the nitty gritty details.
In some respects change is more about what God does than what we manage.
1 Corinthians 1:10 – These were a sinful bunch, yet Paul refers to them as saints. Set apart and belonging to God. Being a child or daughter of God… not sinless perfection, having arrived at a sinless state.
We do need to change. But there is hope because Jesus is alive, he rose from the dead.
A desire for something to be different.
John 5:5-9 – Jesus asks the man if he’d like to be healed. The man replies that he can’t get into the water by himself.
Do we want to change? We don’t usually change unless we really really want to.
A cooperative effort between us and God.
Philippians 2, 3, Romans 6
Most people cannot change themselves. People cannot change unless God is working.
It is fairly easy to feel hopeless about other people who don’t change. Paul is saying, I believe that God will continue to work in you.
We don’t always know whether or how God is working, but he is always working. God is working and we work out what God works in.
Growth and change requires surrender to Jesus.
Luke 9, 13 – This isn’t about “saving myself.” Surrender is about yielding myself to Jesus. My thoughts. My feelings. My attitude. My whatever.
Surrender to Jesus is letting go of our commitment to keep ourselves alive apart from Jesus.
This is a process and journey that will go on all throughout life.