Today I was thinking and was struck by the reality of how many different ways of life there are, how one person does something one way, calling that "normal" and then how in stark contrast is another soul doing something different on the other end of the spectrum, calling that "normal." And the craziest part is that each person if asked would most likely say their way is "best."
I hate how routine I can make life, I do create norms for myself and I get all wacky if that normal gets out of wack! I really actually dislike this about myself. So it is interesting to me that in Christ, we become "new" when we first accept Him into our lives, and secondly He makes us new each and every time we sin and ask Him to wash us clean and make us whole again. He doesn't just make us whole, He gives us a new, fresh start. I love that. From a chronic, do-it-the-samer, this is good news.
" Therefore, if anyone is in Christ He is a new creation, the old has gone and the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17
"See, I am doing a new thing, now it springs up, do you not perceive it..." Isaiah 43:19
See? Scripture speaks of it, and my heart soars from it, my mind cannot fathom it all on its own, and this confirms to me that Christ is in this newness, not my flesh.
I recognize that I have the tendency to want to stay in the same place for long periods of time, because lets face it, it's comfortable. But change is good, especially change inspired the author of newness.
Anyone want something "new" in their life?
Many people try to create a sense of newness in their marriages, parenting and work life, it usually involves extreme amounts of effort put forth and in the end, we seem to usually go back to the way it used to be over time.
The only times in my life where newness or change has really sunk in, is when it is God-inspired. God propelled, God initiated. Change is good. But change for the sake of change is pointless. Change for the sake of Christ is meaningful. Why is Christ propelled change meaningful? Because it's God inspired. And whenever God does something inspired, it's bound to be good. And I would argue, everything He does is inspiring!
I can see all throughout scripture examples of when God made things change, peoples lives were changed for the course of history and generations to come benefited from this change.
Perhaps God has told you there is something in your life that needs to change, maybe it's something you learned from your parents and you have now passed it down and infiltrated it into your life and perhaps your parenting, but God knows it's not best for you and plants a seed of desire in you that whispers, "Change."
What do we do in these moments friends? We listen!
Think of Joseph in the Bible, do you think that at first when his life changed for what seemed to be the worst, Joseph was jumping up and down? My guess is no. But here is the truth my friends, even if the "new" doesn't feel good at first, it does not mean that the new is bad. Change does not always feel good, but it flows. Know what I mean by that? Joseph did not have to DO a lot as he sat in slavery. But God sent the winds of change into His life and Joseph was blown with the winds of the Spirit.
The same is true in my life today. Whenever I feel God say, "Ok, time to change darling..." I stop and listen, and examine my life and heart. I see what it is that He wants to do with me, in order to make the new. Usually it requires me to examine, and spend some time with Him taking a good hard look at the patterns I've created in my life. Even though I perceive myself as someone who chasing hard after God and His will, this does not mean that I don't ever get caught up in my own human-centered patterns.
If you want the every-day grind to change, and you sense Him tapping you on the shoulder, and you sense that perhaps the "stir-crazy" feeling you are experiencing is not just the "winter blues" then pray. Ask the Lord to guide you into the new direction He may want to take you. It might be the smallest change, so much so that the common eye might not even notice the change, but you will know. You will know because of the peace you feel.
That leads me to the other point I wanted to make, when it's God inspired "newness" there is peace. Peace will flood in like a gentle flowing stream.
The living water that flows inside of me will not let me sit in peace if I am sitting in a place that is not beneficial for me or my family. He has given me His Holy Spirit to guide me, and gently help me determine the places in my life and heart that may need a little spring cleaning.
It may be an old bag of past regret that I shoved in the corner some time ago, but just because it's out of sight does not mean it's out of mind. And things shoved under the bed and in the corner do begin to grate on you over time. Trust me, I have learned from experience. If there is something that springs to mind as I say these words, don't get scared, nervous or annoyed. Rather, rest in the one who abides with you, in you and through you and lean on in Him for all you need to know. He will take care of the details, you just need to be obedient!
The Lord has made it known to me that I need to make shifts in the attitudes of my heart...He told me gently and He told me as only He can, but day by day as I give Him the attitudes of my heart, He creates in me a clean heart, that is pleasing to God my Savior. That is the kind of newness He creates, gentle, loving, perfect newness. Newness that at first may seem difficult but it's such a gentle correction I cannot help but listen to Him. I serve, we serve, a God who gentle. Loving. And takes the time to give us all we need for this life.
I could and can go on and on about Him, but friend I want to focus on the fact that Jesus Christ who never changes, (Heb 13:6-8) never forsakes us, and always does what is best for us, (Jer. 29:11) wants to create newness in us so that we can be like a tree with roots planted in a stream. (Jer. 17) Isn't that an amazing picture? A tree with roots planted in a stream. Talk about refreshment. And talk about things never being the same. When is a river ever the same?!
Jesus the author and PERFECTER of my faith has new things for me. If that doesn't give me goose-bumps I don't know what will.
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