Change: the inevitable friend or foe

Change itself is inevitable but the direction of change is optional. We are all being shaped, transformed, influenced and ultimately changed by something or someone-- more likely a combo of both.

It may not come as a shock to you that people do not drift towards health.

Do you naturally avoid sugar, get enough sleep, put others before yourself...? You might do a few things that don't feel like intentional good choices but think back to how and why you started to choose those things? Maybe you exercise consistently because you struggled with depression before you committed to that daily endorphin boost. Maybe you limit your caffeine intake because you realized it lessens your anxiety when you do.

We are shaped by what we find valuable. And Scripture tells us that where we invest our "treasure" (this means our time, focus, attention, thoughts), our affection begins to follow. We start to love the things we value. This is GREAT when it translates into selfless love of our children or our spouse or our friends. This is NOT GREAT when we are inundated by what the world tells us to value: money, power, control.

We are inundated with these messages. Just think of the last car commercial you saw. Are they really selling you a car?? It feels like they are selling you an experience, a status. There's a reason the commercial industry is so successful. TV marketing is actually still the most profitable advertising medium. It appeals to our senses and we are easily led by what pleases us.

Thanks, Lauren, this is riveting and encouraging. Sorry, getting to the good part. Just wanted to make the case the you are being shaped whether you want to be or not. Maybe not by tv commercials (I personally have ZERO time to watch any tv this decade of my life), but by whatever you are being fed to believe gives your life value. You are getting so. many. messages each day from your social media, the news, your friends, podcasts, books, etc. You are getting the message that something gives your life value so you should "change" your self or your course action or your priorities to pursue it.

Maybe it is:

Job success.

Parenting results.

Social connections.

Financial security.

A comfortable, safe life.

Family harmony.

Physical attractiveness.

Health and wellness.

If you are being changed by these pursuits being your focus, the outward change might look ok to begin with-- maybe you spend good time with your kids, take care of your body, have a lot of friends.

But IF when the things you value are SHAKEN or TAKEN away and YOU become shaken and lost, this tells you that you are building your life on sand rather than a solid rock.

There is another kind of change. A transformative change. A change you were made for by your Creator.

It's the process of being changed into the image of Jesus. The big word for this is sanctification. It is not what reconciles us to God but it is the process that follows becoming a follower of Christ.

If you get to know Jesus through the Bible and personally in relationship with Him, you will find Him to be the most beautiful person you could imagine because He is God and man-- perfection in human form. Perfectly rooted in His identity so that He could love others in the ultimate way.

News flash: God's "agenda" for you besides to save you from your sin and reconcile His relationship with you through being the king of your life is to make you more like Jesus.

So you might remember a little trend in the 90s: WWJD bracelets were the rage: What Would Jesus Do. The concept was to keep a tangible reminder on your wrist or ankle (shoutout to the anklet phase) so that you would CHANGE from being a selfish jerk to doing what Jesus would have done ;).

I don't hate the concept of having a reminder because personally I can't even remember my children's birthdates (at least whenever I call the pediatrician) BUT there's something missing from this concept, I think.

We talked about this on the blog last week: we are actually changed from the INSIDE OUT. There is work to be done INTERNALLY before we see EXTERNAL change.

*Big caveat for a moment if I may: this is NOT me making space for you to keep sinning until you "feel" like changing. Obedience to the truth of God and the laws that He gave us to help us THRIVE should NEVER wait. You are only hurting yourself and others in your sin.*

I am simply going back to the point from last week that to have LASTING CHANGE in our lives, we have to do heart work on our affections. We have to put truth in front of us instead of listening to the lying messages being thrown at us. We have to ask God to help us through his Spirit, our counselor and friend. We have to do surgery on the "why" behind what we keep choosing that we know is destructive. We have to surrender to what God wants to do in us-- just tell Him you want Him to come into your life and CHANGE you. He is faithful to do it.

This brings me to one final thought to leave you with for this week and I promise to be back SOON with the promised RESOURCE LIST for those of you interested in being led through the identify, heal, change process...

St. Augustine once said: Without God, we cannot; without us, God will not.

We cannot change without God's work within us. We absolutely need Him and if you don't know Him personally you must start there, inviting Him to lead you.

AND effort on our part is absolutely part of the change process. We do not passively change. We actively change. We make choices. We choose to take steps to become more aware. To heal. To go a new direction.

Don't leave either of these components out of the change process. You need God. And He is waiting for you to take a step. What is your step today?

"And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."

2 Cor. 3:18