Positive Change: Resist It or Embrace It? - Part 1

It seems logical that wholesome, healthy change should come easy.  However resistance to change can be problematic, even when it would be in everyone's best interest. Resistance to change can be related to fear, but the culprit can be anxiety because the future is always a bit uncertain.

Correct perception of what is needed and safe is related to our ability to comprehended and understand, or what is known as instinct or intuition. The tenacity to hold fast to beliefs, even false beliefs, can be a barrier to needed change. This is especially true when change threatens our sense of security. Listen to the Apostle Paul's warning from Romans 12:2.

"Do not become so well adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without thinking.  Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what God wants from you and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you always dragging you down, God brings the best out of you." God be with you and bless you.  

Choosing a New Perspective - Part 2

We're living in a time of rapid change. The development of technologies and world-wide cultural changes make it impossible to stay abreast of even simple advances. Yet what is new soon becomes old and so we await news of what's coming next. This might make you consider Solomon's declaration that "there is nothing new under the sun."

It's apparent that we must change as each stage of life confronts us. Our youthful appearance gives way as we mature in age. Our physical endurance diminishes with advanced years. The common wisdom of our day warns us, "Use it or lose it," which includes the mind's eager willingness to learn and the body's muscles that tend to atrophy with neglect.

Cooperating with change is healthier than denying its intrusion into your life. Begin by taking stock of what's needed to put your house in order and then do it. Jesus said, "I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and fellowship with you." Change in partnership with Jesus can be exciting and joyful.  

Stubborn Honesty or Stubborn Pride? - Part 3

Stubbornness can be an asset when it keeps a person in pursuit of worthy goals. Determination to succeed is most often needed when choosing to make worthy changes. Stubborn pride on the other hand, can be a detrement to love and intimacy. Stubbornness is closely related to fear of change, which requires trusting yourself into the care of another person.

Stubbornness is a reason for communication's breakdown with others or even with God, and the consequences can be severe. Leviticus 26:14 sends this  warning from God. "If you will not listen to me, I will punish you for your sins seven times over. I will break your stubborn pride. Your strength will be spent in vain."

But there's a better way, so choose to change by repenting and turning from stubborn pride to prevent awful consequences from coming down on you. The opposite of stubbornness is flexibility that begins by trusting yourself into the care of the Lord Jesus Christ. Discard false security which prevents you from experiencing the love, joy, and true security that God gives.  

Allowing Intimacy: Getting Close - Part 2

Recently an elderly woman edging near despair made a startling statement. "I realize my whole life has been a sham!" She never intended to be deceptive, but now in the autumn of her years she's had no friends. Explaining further, she told of never permitting anyone get close. She had spent her whole life keeping others at a distance.

God created the family for each other. In his design, family members relate to one another with love, trust, and respect. This framework makes way for openness and honesty. This is not easy to accomplish, for it takes commitment, but the rewards far outweigh the loneliness and isolation of a life locked away from others and God.

No matter what your age, change is possible and can begin by taking a small step of faith to alter the way you live. The Lord Jesus Christ stands ready to help. Listen to Psalm 118:5-6. "In my anguish, I cried out to the Lord, and he answered me by setting me free. The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid." May God bless you today.

Learning Productivity - Part 3

Do you realize how much determination it takes for an infant to master crawling, learning to walk, and acquiring language? As parents provide an atmosphere of trust that allows a strong sense of self to flourish, their children go to school prepared and eager for mastering the task of industry and productivity.

There are children who enter elementary school unprepared and unready for the task of learning. Parents must overcome their own fears, unpreparedness, and anxiety so they can take appropriate steps to insure their child is provided all available resources to meet their needs. While there are barriers to overcome, persistence helps insure success.

Success in the elementary years can't be stressed enough, for children take with them these initial ideas of what it means to be productive throughout adulthood. Listen to Proverbs 22:6. "Train or teach a child how he should live, and he will remember it all his life." The choices you help your children make about persistence and staying on track will remain a continuous guide and encouragement.  

Learning Productivity - Part 2

What holds a person back from becoming successful, loving, and giving? I'm sure there are many reasons this affliction grips the lives of some of God's people. Laziness and lack of motivation could be argued as probable causes. Feelings of inferiority and inadequacy keep gifts and talents hidden behind a curtain of fear.

As unbelievable as it may seem, change is possible by confronting the feelings that stifle achieving the productive life God intended. While it's true that we can't go back and do any part of our lives over, we can make choices to alter what gives power to negative perceptions and beliefs.

Begin by rejecting a belief that you're stuck and incapable of change. Believe that you were created by God for a special purpose that will honor him and bless others. See yourself as a child of God, redeemed by Christ Jesus and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Believe you're capable of being productive with what God has given you. Keep these truths in your heart and mind until they become real to you.