Each year people start the year with all kinds of “New Year’s Resolutions” to change. They want to change the way they look, so they diet. When my kids were living at home, my middle child, Molly would challenge the family to go a year without drinking soda. Of course, each family member would jump at the chance. There had to be a reward if they made it all the way to the end of the year. So, there would be money involved, I think the biggest pot was $50, but don’t quote me on that. They would start the year out strong, notice I said they. Andrew, Nicole, Dawn and Molly would all start out really well. They made it through the first day, the second, third and by the end of the third day usually one of them had caved. When called on it they would say, “I can’t do it, I just can’t change. I like soda too much.” Usually by the end of the month it would be down to Molly and Dawn who had stayed true to the challenge. Dawn would hang in there until we hit vacation, about 5 months later, then that was it. Molly would make it every year; she is stubborn especially when it came to earning some extra bucks.
Change doesn’t come easy. It’s hard to make life changes. In the past 5 years, I’ve had to make several changes in my life. After being hit with this neurological illness and not being knowing from one moment to the next whether I would be able to function, I’ve had to learn to not plan a whole lot of things and be flexible. I’ve always been able to just go with the flow, but this is quite different. For those who don’t know me, I’m also a work-a-holic. I love getting up early in the morning and spending time with the Lord while it is still dark out and starting work in the office either at the church or in my home office around 6 a.m. However, that means then that some days that I don’t finish work until 9 p.m. at night. Makes for long days. Since this illness, I’ve had to make some changes in my work habits. It’s hard to step back and say, “No” to things and let others step in or let things go.
Change doesn’t come easy, or does it? When I think of change as a believer this verse comes to mind, 2 Corinthians 5:17 (GW) “Whoever is a believer in Christ is a new creation. The old way of living has disappeared. A new way of living has come into existence.” When we come to Christ we are a new creation. There is a change that takes place. Our old way, our old man, our old thinking, our old life is gone. There’s a change that takes place that we didn’t have to work on. All we had to do was open our hearts and invite Christ in. What an exciting thought!!!! Just asking Jesus into our lives and there’s a change. New life!!!
Now some of you might be saying, “Okay preacher, I hear what you are saying, but when I did that it got harder. The change wasn’t as easy as you are putting it right here.” Well, I agree with you, however, there is one difference. We have a new power that now lives in us. We have a new promise that we can claim. We have new weapons to fight with. Let me tell you that if you use them they will never fail you. If we access the power, it will never go out and you will never get a power bill. As you allow God to work in your life, there are going to be some changes that aren’t going to be easy, but He will give you the power to make the changes that need to be made in your life. In the end, you will be made into the image of His Son. New Life!!!!
Some of the changes that I’ve had to make over the past 5 years I haven’t liked at all. However, in disciplining myself and making those changes, life is much better and I have new life even through the illness. With Christ, we can have new life in this world of illness. How about making the change today? After all isn’t that what New Year’s is all about, making changes? Until next time, have a great Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Pastor Rob
