Embrace Change

Change is painful sometimes, isn't it?  It can be hard.  It means leaving the land of the known to the land of the unknow. 

It means that we will probably be uncomfortable.  And we love to be comfortable, don't we?

Dr. Cloud said, "People will not change unless the pain of changing is LESS then the pain of staying the same?" 

Some people are absolutely miserable in their current life situation, job, relationship etc. but at least they know what to expect right?  As one woman said, "I know I live in hell, but at least I know the names of all the streets."

And how many of us live our lives like that?  We settle.  We stay just content.  But is there more to life then what we already know?

Dr. Cloud in his lecture tonight, "Creating Urgency for Change," talked about how we were NOT designed to just cope in life, we were designed by God TO THRIVE! 

Think about that.  Are you just surviving life?  Do you feel like something is missing?  Well maybe something is. 

God puts desires into each of our hearts that He WANTS to fulfill in our lives if we will let Him.  But we have to BELIEVE that it is possible.

Like Jesus said to the man at the pool side who could not walk, "Do you WANT to be well?"  And He asks all of us the same question, "Do YOU want to be well?  Do you really want to be well?"  Some people actually like to stay in their misery. 

Dr. Cloud said, just because death, destruction and Satan may have won one quarter of your life, does not mean they have to win the game! 

All problems in our life are solvable if we are willing to change.

Marriages, for example, start off where the couple is very close and then usually the two drift apart.  Neither thinks that change is urgent or neccessary until one leaves a note saying it is over and they have left. 

Dr. Cloud said we need to see the urgency for change before problems in our life get to that point. 

The Bible contains many severe warnings about our faith, that urge us to change ourselves daily.  We have to DAILY lay ourselves down and pick up our crosses.   

The Christian walk is not meant to be lived like we are just sitting on a boat with God on a calm lake somewhere.  On the contrary, we are fighting waves to keep our walk with God pure and good and close!  The Christian walk is a race.  It is a war.  It is swimming up-stream when you see all the other fish around you swimming down stream. 

Dr. Cloud referenced the parable of the talents.  Jesus states that there will be consequences if we do not use what He has given us.  We are all born with gifts and abilities.  If we do not use these and apply ourselves and try to make the world a better place at all, God will call us to account someday as to why we did nothing with what He gave us.  What gift do you have?  Everyone has at least one gift from God. 

There is also the verse, "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling."  Why is that verse in the Bible?  Because God doesn't want to us to get to comfortable.  He wants us to be constantly changing, constantly letting Him mold us into the person He needs us to be.  Are you constantly changing into a better person?  Do you let Him mold you?

Paul also says, "Make the best use of your time, for the days are evil."  God gives us a certain amount of time and energy every day.  Do you use those two things for God?  Or for yourself?  Something to consider.

Change can be very hard, but it is always worth it. 

Some do not change because of fear.  We know that all things that have the potential for bringing about amazing things in our lives also have the potential for incredible loss and pain.  But if we never risk anything, can we really say we are living?  If we never dream and believe our lives could be different then they are now, are we getting anywhere?  Are we progressing? 

We should always be asking God, "What's next God?  What do you have for me next?"  Because there is ALWAYS a next.  He wants to take you on grand adventures.  Will you let him?

To be successful in life, in anything, we have to see our life as a movie.  How will this end?  How do we want it to end? 

We have to recognize that every single thing that we do is a link in a chain of events that leads to something else.  What chain are you building?  Are you going in the direction you WANT to be going?  What is God's calling on your life?

The fact is time is happening.  Time does not stop.  Tomorrow will come.  Next month WILL come.  Where do you want to be when next month comes? 

In order to get there you may have to adjust some things in the present day. 

So many people are passive about life.  They do not wake up in the morning thinking, "I wonder how I can destroy my life today?" lol But they let life take them to destruction.  If you do not actively pursue your dreams, they will never be achieved. 

I love the quote, "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately....and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."  -Thoreau   Amen!  We all live, but how many of us really LIVE?

Anything new that you pursue means something in the present must die.  You might have to say goodbye to some things.  Dr. Cloud said, "Today may be the enemy of your tomorrow."  People in your life might resist your desire to change.  But if you feel the change is necessary, do it!  Shoot for the moon! :)

If we don't end what already is, we will not have something new, and many times the new is better.  Amazing things can happen in the new!

So what do you need to change?  What do you need to leave behind?  What are you goals, hopes and dreams?  Are you there now?  If not, how will you get there?

It helps to have at least one accountability partner to share your goals with, to share your progress with.  "Baby steps" as it says in the movie "What About Bob."  Change does not come instantly usually, it is a series of steps, but eventually you will get there.  Eventually you will get to the top of the mountain.  You just have to keep pushing yourself.  Keep climbing.  You can do it!

May God bless you and may He make your dreams come true!  May he give you the courage to change! :)

God bless and take care!