“The Struggle To Change”
How to know if change is needed in your life?
(1) We’re all born in sin; God calls on us all to transform (no one is free of a need to transform).
(2) Relationships; our lives are in disarray, it’s always the fault of someone else.
(3) Despair and discomfort; some will fill their time with trivial things to do or are in constant need of company.
Self Gratification
Some find it necessary to post their social lives on social platforms, all in the name of having fun. But many don’t give a thought of the possible sadness it could bring to the lonely heart watching. Perhaps you’re feeling the same (lonely) with the need to prove otherwise?
“My Transformation Awakening”
For many years, I was addicted to pain medication. It wasn’t until I was going through the process of reviewing (recovery) my life that I realized that I had other behaviors in addition to the one that brought me to my knees. Addiction is defined as “the condition of being dependent on a particular substance, thing, or activity”. For instance, someone who constantly steals is addicted to taking things that don’t belong to them, someone who constantly hurt others is addicted to the gratification of the pain their actions cause. Someone who pops pills, is addicted to the feeling(s) that surround the pursuit of getting them, as well as the euphoria that’s achieved after taking them. Aside from addiction to my distraction of choice (pills), these feelings that were discovered while on my journey to recovery are, feeling different, feeling preoccupied and self absorbed, feeling temporary satisfaction, feeling out of control, and all would cause me to make choices that lead to bad consequences. These were the uncomfortable blows of my behavior that I discovered along the way. I’d also discover that people who weren’t in a “recovery” process, were completely oblivious to the behavior that plague so many. Once you start transforming, it’s easy to spot those who aren’t. How? Because you see a reflection of old behavior.
“Be Ye Transformed, By Renewing Of Your Mind”
Many will say that they’ve changed, they’ll even proclaim that “I’m not the same today as I was a year ago”, what does that truly mean? God is calling us to renew our minds, and most don’t understand what that means. Changing my ways was the most uncomfortable sacrifice that I’d been called to do. To me, it meant denying myself the urges to satisfy my pride. It’s a daily struggle resisting the temptation to follow whatever your mind is telling you to do or think. I learned in the process of recovering from a pill addiction that my thinking was extremely self motivated. But through this process, I was reintroduced to God, whom I already knew, however this time the pain of my choices opened my heart to hear him. God allows certain struggles to occur in our lives, so we become more alert to his presence while we’re venturing through life. For example, Some folks do horrible things to each other, and they do it with such comfort knowing God exist, but not acknowledging that he’s not only watching but allowing it. He’s heartbroken and hovering with hope, hoping that we’ll get tired of whatever we think is comforting us in that moment. God loves us. He is hoping during our trials and tribulations, we return to him. He did the same when his people wanted a King (in the book of Judges). Change requires total submission to God’s way and his process. First, we must acknowledge that he is God and without him we’re lost. We must also ask God to reveal to us ourselves because some of us are so blinded in our trauma and various things that have occurred in our lives, we don’t see ourselves. We must search the scriptures, and mimic his life {Matthew 11:29}, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your souls”. He says to seek me and you will find me, knock at the door of hope and faith, and I will open it. Take one step and God will do the rest.
The Spirit Does The Changing
Many pastors take the scriptures as well as the prophets who were inspired to write them, and use them as a tool for change. They are missing one key component, the Spirit that inspired the prophets. Looking to the Author {Yeshua} is the key to transformation. Search the scriptures and seek the Spirit which is the power of God, and is able to transform you. Paul, Peter, Isaiah, David, and Solomon are all our Brothers in Yeshua, however they aren’t our source, so read their commissioned words, learn from their stories, and look to Jesus Christ. The prophets have stated that when our hearts are in position to receive, God is there to achieve and to change that which we so desperately desire. The transformation that he desires for us is infallible, and filled with peace.