CHANGE

When's the last time you realized, "Hey I have really changed!" I am more satisfied in life, way less stressed, I actually enjoy myself, I'm eating healthy consistently, I'm happy.

OR

are you the same as you were two years ago? The same hurts, sadnesses, frustrations, insecurities, and bad habits...you're really no different.

Friends, we need to be changing. In fact, change should be something that people see happen often in our lives! If Romans 12 is right we are to be transformed - which means being constantly in the PROCESS of transformation. We need to change and ask God to bring His change into our lives. Otherwise, I think you'll feel board in life. You'll wonder, "Why am I here, what am I supposed to be doing?" Or you won't think about anything much at all. BiG ReD FlaG: If you're not thinking and just going through life - coasting - your life isn't doing what it was meant to. God never intended your life to be bla, MUNDANE, routine!

Are you ever frustrated about anything in your life?!

If you're anything like me the answer is yes.

Well, why not start asking God to bring His change in your life?

The first time I thought about asking God to change me I was 19 and totally freaked out by the thought! I said, "What will God do? Will He take away something I love? Will I loose all my money? Will I get a terrible illness? ..."

Why is it hard for us to know that God really wants to give us good things and does not want to harm us? It's because we really don't know who God is. We think that what we know of God at this moment defines all that He is. Man, that is so not true.

So, I thought: "Well, if God loves me more than I love myself doesn't He know exactly what needs to change for the best!?" SO, I told God I was so scared but I just had to ask Him to change me. "God, change me." I prayed.

Now, some hard things did happen, and some great things happen too (but isn't that life anyway?). All in all this prayer has become may favorite because of how much better my thinking is and my life is today from actually experiencing being changed. Hey! I'm different than I was even last year. Oh when I think of the things that used to seem like mountains in my life - immovable! Some bad habits, HUGE sins in my life that I couldn't stop doing, and not knowing how to love certain people in my life. There were things that I was so so so so frustrated about in myself.....and now, they are totally gone. Some things actually changed altogether and other things Yhwh gave me a peace about: "Hey this is how I've made you and you need to embrace it because I've got a reason for it."

I love change.

Pursue change in your life and you will run into an all consuming loving God in the process. His name is Yhwh. He will change you into the beautiful person you wish you were and build your faith tremendously at the same time!

What Should I Do??

This question looms in the minds of many as they search for their purpose and meaning of existence on earth.

Yhwh really does have things for us to do Eph. 2:10, 2 Tim. 2:21 and plenty of other passages.

John 15 paints a beautiful picture that doing revolves around being. Not just a lazing existing but a thriving and growing being Jesus calls abiding.

We must make it our goal to find out who our Father is and who we are (who we are in our personalities and who we are because of Christ), out of this flows what we do. It really comes down to who we are as to what things we end up doing.

SO, just WHO are you?? What's your personality, strengths and weaknesses in all? How do you present yourself to others in light of who you are? What about you needs to grow? What about you needs to change and or get lost?

For instance, being able to talk to strangers and meet knew people will happen when you are confident in who you are. Are you insecure? Starting a new degree or a business means that you're not afraid of failure anymore. Are you paralyzed by fear? Confronting some tough conversations or conflicts with people might mean that you have to humble yourself. Do you run from conflict?

What are your strengths? And how can you grow them?

When we truly abide and take time to focus on our hearts asking the LORD to change us we might begin to see that you are lazy, a bad listener, to unorganized....you might see that you need to change. You might not know how to change but as you continue abiding you ask YHWH to change you. Only God can change us. (You might think you can change yourself, but try it and see how long it lasts. God wants to do the changing because He wants the credit and He's the only one powerful enough.) Then you see yourself begin to change in all these areas. Maybe you even get some good counseling....You see that your relationships go deeper because you're listening better. Not focusing on yourself in the conversation but the other person. You're not so concerned about being accepted by other because you feel accepted by God, you're less stressed because you're trusting Yhwh, you can relax.

The things we do are completely connected with the person of our heart. If you want to do the things God has for you start learning how to abide and ask God to change you! Because the things you do in this life directly flow from the person that you are on the inside! If you wanna find out your purpose and what you're supposed to do on this earth, abide. Let Yhwh show you who He is, who you are, what needs to change and grow about you, and let Him do the changing.

A note further:

2 Peter 2:1-11

Peter takes his magnifying glass and focuses in on the inner life of a person in verses 5-9. I would take a serious inventory to see how your life reflects this passage.

Do you feel unproductive? Ineffective? Have you lost sight? Are you abiding?