Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Resistance is Futile

Change is hard, but it is crucial for growth. It might be one of the most difficult things to do, but in order for God to use us fully, we need to make real changes in our life.

Most of my life was about being a patient and supportive girlfriend, daughter, sister to the people I loved who had serious issues: commitment issues, drug issues, control issues. I was the nice girl who fixed and nurtured their broken wings. My willingness to give unconditional love only made them feel obligated to be grateful to my martyred ass, and that caused them to want to hurt me. Have you ever loved so deeply that you would condemn yourself for eternality? No earthly person is worth that kind of pain. In order to take myself out of that coil of suffering, I learned that I needed real change in my heart and in my way of thinking.

First, I had to learn to let go of my past. My past is my mother and the millionth times I failed to please her. It doesn’t matter anymore. What’s important is focusing on the future.
Isaiah 43:18-19
18 "Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
19 See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert
and streams in the wasteland.

Second, I had to discover my destination. If we don’t know where we are going, we won’t know when we get there. The critical destination is to know who we want to become for God, what lives in our heart, our character, our attitude, our essence.

Third, this is crucial. Take control of our priorities and eliminate destructive distractions. Distractions are those times playing video games, surfing the net to kill time or going to Christian social functions hoping to hook-up with someone. There is power in prioritizing. Spend more time on what really matters and not on what seems urgent at the moment or what feels good for right now.

Fourth, overcome our fears and insecurities. This is a big one. We all have some kind of fear or insecurity, but did you know that fear is a sin? Anything that doesn’t allow us to put faith in the Lord is a sin. Also, these two are the biggest reasons more people never achieve greatness. Face your fears! With God’s help, nothing is impossible.

Fifth, our circle of friends can make or break our dreams. We should surround ourselves with people who will cheer us on, people who love and support us.

Lastly, we need to appreciate the mystery of life. We will never find the answers to all of our questions. Life is not about finding the right answers; it’s about asking the right questions. Ask God the questions and rest in His presence to carry you through.

Change is hard, but we have to if we want to be a success.

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