My Stubborn Will

If merely longing for change could make it happen, wouldn't that be wonderful? Yet, work is required to bring about the desired change. Work plus time plus resources plus self-discipline. And, most essential of all, God's guidance and help. 

As I reflect on the changes I'd like to experience, I realize that God does His part. He tells me in His Word what He wants me to be and do and how to accomplish that. Yet, even with such clear guidance, I'm still pretty much the "same ol' me" as I've been for years! I'm still struggling with the same unproductive habits: procrastination, excesses (weight, possessions, etc.), poor use of time, and so forth. I'm still longing for something to sweep over me and instantly transform me into what I should be--and want to be. I've been waiting for years for such a miracle.

But I'm beginning to understand that the changes I long for will not happen until I make myself DO what I know I should. That, Dear Reader, is called self-discipline. It's something I lack, as perhaps you do. Yet, it's essential if we are to follow God's guidance. He shows us what to do, but we are the ones who must do what He says. Otherwise, we'll never become all that He wants us to be, all that He will help us be.

As I said, God is faithfully doing His part. He's at work in me, causing me to will and to do His good pleasure. But I am unfaithful in doing my part. All too often, I refuse to make myself do what He says even though what He says to do is both right and beneficial. Like a pampered child, I sit back and wait for Him (or someone else!) to do my work for me. But that is not the way personal change will take place, is it?

O Father, help me to subdue my stubborn will that refuses to obey You. Help me to be able to say sincerely:

To listen to the song, click here.

Little Glories

...transform me, Father,

by the

little glories

of this day.

~David Hazard, p.139 in

I Come Quietly to Meet You 

Stop. Think. Change.

Ever since I read Mike Ashcroft and Rachel Olsen’s excellent book, My One Word, I’ve chosen one word to focus on each year, as the authors suggest. The first year, I chose the word finish. Throughout each day of that year, I reminded myself to finish whatever could be completed at that time. Rather than flit from task to task, as I tend to do, I’d simply remind myself to finish! I noticed a big change in the amount of work I was able to get done. And I did my work more efficiently and with less stress.

The second year, I chose the word love. Many times each day, I’d look for ways to express love to people. Apparently, I did pretty well with that, for a Christmas card my husband and I received that year commended us for the many ways we extend love and care to others.

This year, I’ve chosen the word change. Whenever I catch myself doing or saying or feeling anything that's contrary to the better person I want to become, I’ll say to myself, “This is not good. Stop it! Change!” (After all, I do have a choice, and I can choose to feel and behave differently.)

By systematically making one change at a time, followed by another and another, it shouldn't be all that difficult. However, it will demand constant awareness--and constant follow through. And, of course, I'll need to continue to remind myself to finish and to love.

Thus says the LORD of hosts: "Consider your ways!"

Haggai 1:7, NKJV

A New Life

...anyone who belongs to Christ

has become a new person.

The old life is gone;

a new life has begun!

--2 Corinthians 5:17, New Living Translation

Take It In; Live It Out

As I journal, read the Bible, read devotional and self-help books, listen to podcasts by various Christians and self-help experts, watch TED Talks, etc. I receive an abundance of insights about how to live life better. However, I'm overwhelmed by all that I should think, feel, say, and do differently.

Having too much to focus on, I generally end up applying few, if any, of the principles that were presented to me. I'm like the person described in James 1:22-25, the person who looks into a mirror, sees the truth about what needs readjusting, but chooses to walk away from the mirror without dealing with problem areas. How smart is that???? 

Although I take in far more insights than I live out, I could experience BIG changes in my life if only I'd choose at least one "flaw" and apply the truth from God's Word to it. Even though I may not have the time or wisdom to do everything I'm shown every day, I'll certainly benefit from choosing to do at least ONE thing differently--and consistently.

How about you, Dear Reader? Do you need to learn to incorporate more of God's truths into your life? Will you choose at least one truth and start living by it? Will you begin to do it today? Will you continue to do it tomorrow and the next day, and...?

Father, thank You for revealing

truth upon truth, precept upon precept.

I humble ask You to help me "live it out."

Amen.

Steadfast

Steadfast. Now, there’s a word you rarely hear these days. However, we do use words with a similar meaning: committed, constant, dependable, faithful, loyal, reliable, staunch, steady, true, etc.

Since steadfast is used infrequently these days, I noticed it appears quite often, usually as an adjective describing the word love, in the English Standard Version of the Bible, which I am reading through this year.

For example, in Psalm 36, the writer (David) uses steadfast three times. At the beginning of that chapter, he’s thinking about the wicked. But rather than keep thinking about them, David shifts his focus to the Lord.

“Your steadfast love, O LORD, 

extends to the heavens, 

your faithfulness to the clouds…

How precious is your steadfast love, O God! 

The children of mankind 

take refuge in the shadow of your wings. 

They feast on the abundance of your house, 

and you give them drink 

from the river of your delights…

Oh, continue your steadfast love 

to those who know you 

and your righteous to the upright of heart!” 

(Psalm 36:5-10, emphasis added).

Steadfast. How precious is that word in these days when everything seems to be changing, crumbling, shifting… 

 Sidney Lanier Bridge in Brunswick, Georgia

Right Attitude

Sanibel Island (Florida) Sunset

Create in me a clean heart, O God; 

and renew a right spirit within me.

Psalm 51:10, King James Version

Timeless Truths

I enjoy browsing in hymnals. Often, I’ll stop and sing the songs I know and love. But if I come to one I don’t know, I don’t let my inability to read music (and, thus, figure out the tune) keep me from enjoying the hymn’s message. I simply read the hymn as if it were a poem.  

One recent morning, I came across a hymn I’d never heard before: God Is Love, His Mercy Brightens, which was written by John Bowring, 1825.  After I’d read all the words, I summarized (using my own words) the timeless truths Mr. Bowring had expressed so poetically centuries ago.

• God is love and, therefore, loving--always!!!
• God's mercy brightens every path.
• God kindles happiness within us.
• God lightens our loads of care.
• Changes are ever-present: man decays; ages move. Yet God’s mercy never diminishes.
• Even the times that seem the darkest verify God’s changeless goodness.
• Through the gloom, God’s brightness streams.
• God interlaces hope and comfort into our earthly cares.
• God’s glory shines everywhere! (Oh, may we have the vision to see it.)

What an awesome God we have!

The LORD’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,

For His compassions never fail.

They are new every morning;

Great is [His] faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22, 23, NASB

Incredible Transformation

I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love butterflies, but I can think of a whole lot of folks who don’t get excited about caterpillars—from whence butterflies come! Compared to caterpillars, butterflies are so colorful. And, unlike slow-crawling caterpillars, butterflies flit freely from place to place, making it hard to keep your eyes on them, especially when watching through the tiny viewfinder on a camera, as I did one afternoon.

For nearly an hour, I tried to get good photos of those lovely but elusive creatures as they sipped nectar from the blooms on the lantana bushes out by the garden. By the time I’d locate one of the dozen or more butterflies in the viewfinder, compose the shot, and press the shutter button, the butterfly would have fluttered away to a new spot, leaving me with photos of orange lantana blooms—minus the butterflies or, at best, half of one! Only rarely did I get a full, sharply focused, beautifully framed shot of a butterfly.

Now, if I’d been trying to take pictures of pokey caterpillars, I’d have had plenty of time to get the perfect shot! But I wanted pictures of butterflies not caterpillars.

Why am I so drawn to butterflies? For their beauty, obviously, and for the way they move so freely. I also enjoy butterflies because they remind me that change, dramatic change, is not only possible, but it’s expected. That’s exciting!

When I’m looking at a butterfly, I find it hard to believe what it once was. It bears almost no resemblance to its former self, to its former way of life. Only the Creator Himself could make such a change possible.

Scientists have a big word for that remarkable change: metamorphosis, which comes from a Greek word meaning “to transform.” Transformation is sometimes subtle--almost imperceptible, actually--as when tadpoles ever so slowly begin to look like the frogs they will one day be. Such slow transformation is certainly amazing; yet it seems less thrilling than the miraculous change that takes place in secret between the time the caterpillar enshrouds itself inside a chrysalis and then emerges days later as a butterfly.

Because I’m awed by butterflies, my mind latched onto something I heard a motivational speaker say. “Your body ‘morphs’ itself every seven years. So should you!”

How incredible! Imagine the body replacing all of its cells every seven years, getting rid of the old ones, producing new ones, changing constantly in order to remain at peak performance. WOW!

Since the Creator designed the body to miraculously renew itself continuously and subtly, surely He intended the mind, soul and spirit to renew regularly, too! After all, the Bible says, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think” (Romans 12:2, New Living Translation, NLT).

When you and I start thinking right, we’ll start acting right and talking right, as well. Imagine how we’ll feel when we no longer resemble our old sinful selves. Incredible, huh?

© 2005 by Johnnie Ann Burgess Gaskill. For permission to use, please contact her.