What's the alternative?

We live in a time of a massive loads of content creation. I finally JUST figured out Instagram reels and now that's apparently "out" and TikTok is currently all.that.matters. I give up.

Today, anyone can create content and post it for everyone else to see. I'd love to see someone attempt to explain this to a person who lived in another century (or even someone who lived in the mid 1900s!)-- their minds would be blown. The implications of this are vast but more on that another time.

One of the "rules" of content creation on any platform is to evaluate if you are "adding value" to your audience. Obviously this is rather subjective since mindless entertainment might be valuable to some and worthless to others.

As I've been planning fall content, I keep finding myself asking the question "why is this valuable to create this?" "Does this already exist/ is it already accessible to people?"

More specifically, "If people don't pursue self-awareness, healing and change, how much does that actually matter?"

And yes, I have thought long and hard about these things for years BEFORE this site existed and I have counseled and preached and taught that these things deeply matter because I believe that change is both possible but MORE importantly that it is NECESSARY for human flourishing and it makes much of God and is one way he shows himself to us this side of heaven.

We are designed to change in a way that makes us look more like Jesus and leads to our freedom and joy. This change happens from the inside out.

If we are not being formed into the IMAGE of Christ, then we are being conformed to the world around us. We are not stuck in neutral. We are heading in a direction.

Healing growth and change or being transformed rather than conformed is a FIGHT. A good fight that is not always won easily. All of the good things in life cost something don't they?

I think we "get this" on the outside. No one thinks a diet of mostly sugar and 100 hours of gaming per week will create success.

However, we can functionally think that remaining unaware or putting off something that would aid our emotional growth (like counseling or accountability) or not working to change our habits is a relatively small issue and absolutely optional.

This might sound in your mind and heart something like:

"I just won't think about it today, numb out and deal with it tomorrow."

"Everyone just doesn't understand me."

"How I impact others isn't really my responsibility."

"Counseling would take up too much time and money."

"I don't have to tell anyone what I am struggling with."

"I don't know if i can live without this habit so I'll keep it in check."

Excuses, evading, avoidance.

We are so good at it. It's almost like breathing.

So, what happens over time?

We begin to create our own narratives of reality. We don't even know we are avoiding truth anymore. We create patterns in which we are entrenched. We create walls to avoid feeling unpleasant feelings. We excuse our behaviors. We become deeply critical of others to relieve our own shame.

To name a few.

We simply don't have to stay there.

If you are a follower of Christ this is the natural response because the gospel changes us over time. We have the choice to cooperate with this work that the Spirit of God is doing in us and growth becomes more like a stone rolling downhill than an upward climb.

And if you are a seeker, considering where real change can be found, I'd invite you to consider what or who is currently forming and shaping you and consider if you are heading in a direction that gives you hope.

Now what?

If you are ready to take some baby steps this fall, go ahead and work through the Self Assessment Reflection Guide and...

get ready because we are going to flesh out the steps for change in really PRACTICAL terms this fall in a blog series called Office Hours.

I'm giving you a FREE inside peek at what happens in the counseling and spiritual direction office.

Maybe it will give you some new tools or maybe it will encourage you to seek out more help in another setting.

The one requirement to begin the change process? The humility to acknowledge that you need to change.

Remember, God opposes the proud but gives GRACE to the humble.

Let us humbly pursue transformation all the days of our life because Christ paid for it on our behalf and it is the ONLY logical response to the gift of NEW LIFE we've been given through the transforming love of God.

It is for FREEDOM that Christ set us FREE.

In this with you,

Lauren