A New Thought

Many people want to live a better life. They can visualize themselves as a loving parent, a faithful friend, and committed to serving the Lord with all their heart. However, what they see in reality is far from what they imagine in their mind.

What’s going wrong?! How can I get my life on the right track?!

There may be a number of things you must specifically accomplish to live the life the Lord desires for you to live. However, they cannot begin without a new way of thinking.

Romans 12:1-2 – And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Just because you think about living a different life, it doesn’t mean that life will just appear. Many people become frustrated because there is no change in their life, but they didn’t do anything different (James 1:22-25). They just expected things to happen. However, there must be a change in your thinking…

Below are a few things we can do to begin the process of change in our lives.

1. Ask God for wisdom. The Lord has to be your first source for change. All knowledge and power rests with Him. However, many of us have tried to accomplish our change without the Lord’s help…and have received many scars from along the way. But, a just man can fall seven times and rise again (Proverbs 24:16).

James 1:5 – If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

When you ask God for wisdom, be honest and forthright with Him. And when you ask, do not doubt that He is able to give you the wisdom you seek because that person shouldn’t expect anything from Him (James 1:6-8). Lastly, what you expect from the Lord may not be what you receive. Many people have an idea of what they want, but may reject the Lord’s answer or provision (2 Kings 5:1-14; Isaiah 55:9).

2. Be committed to change. God will freely give you the wisdom needed to help you live for Him. However, you must be patient, open, and willing to do what’s required for change to occur. Unfortunately, many people only want change as long as it doesn’t interrupt their current living arrangements, status, or position. They’ve gotten so comfortable with our ‘I-need-it-now-with-little-effort‘ world to think they should have a part in their change. If you want a new life, you must be committed to the process of a renewed mind and life. Just realize that you may not wake up one day with a completely renewed mind (even though He is more than capable of doing it). Be committed!

3. Change what goes out by changing what goes in. If you want to be different, you must think and act different. To do this, you’ll have to place yourself within the company of those that teach, act, and are focused on the areas of change you desire. Whether this company will be a new friendship, another church, or distant (online) pastors and teachers to instruct you, you must seek the information and individuals that will challenge you to think and live differently – for righteousness’ sake. (See Matthew 15:10-20 for additional information).

4. Cut off excess weight.

Hebrews 12:1-2 – Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

If you are committed to change, then you must be willing to let excess weights and sin go. There are people and things around you that have no other desire than to keep you far from holiness. Many people get very far on the areas listed above, only to let the weights and sin stagnate and shrink their growth. There will be some habits that must cease as well as some friendships that must end.

1 Corinthians 15:33 – Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.

There may be people in your life that don’t want you to succeed or see you grow beyond them. They only want you to remain the same person you’ve always been to them. For many reasons, this is because of their own personal selfishness, insecurities, or a lack of seeing you do better for yourself. So, they would sabotage your progress just to keep you with them. However, you want to have friendships that build, sharpen, and strengthen you (Proverbs 27:17).

For the person that wants to change, they may not want to lose the acceptance of a negative friendship because they don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings – especially a close friendship. However, if that other person doesn’t have the same desire to change, they will only hurt you in the end.

You have to ask yourself what you’re willing to do to change for the better and what sacrifices you’re willing to commit to. Change doesn’t come with half-hearted efforts or without painful decisions.

If you have a relationship that must end, ask the Lord for ways you can end the friendship and the words to speak. Remember to act peaceably at all times (Romans 12:18; Ephesians 4:29). You may find that he or she will move from you or leave you for someone else (via the Lord’s intervention…where you don’t have to say anything). However, if you have a face-to-face talk to end a friendship, be prepared to face their fury to bring you back, test your change, or destroy (slander) you. Remember to repay evil acts with good (Romans 12:19-21). Pray for them and love them.

5. Do.

James 1:22-25 – But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

Hearing and doing are two separate things. As listed above, many people want to talk about change without doing change. You cannot have one without the other. If you haven’t noticed already, each of the areas above require some type of action on your part…

Always speak with your ministry leaders on the specifics of your situation to ensure each area is properly addressed (especially when addressing marital issues).

When your mind is renewed, you’ll challenge your old nature with the new, responding differently to similar situations from your past. You’ll have a new walk and talk as you’re being made in the image of Jesus. You’ll know for yourself the perfect will of God!

2 Corinthians 5:16-17 – Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

^{Photo courtesy of freeimages.com/Janusz Gawron}