Change

Last Night we watched the movie, Courageous.  We are using this tool to place added focus on our desire to strengthen the men of our local fellowship.  I know that this movie has been in circulation for an extended period of time but I encourage each husband and wife to watch the movie and if you have seen it once I would encourage you to view it again.  I learn something new about myself and my relationship with my family each time that I view the movie.  This movie reminded me of the knowledge that there are some attitudes, actions, reactions, decisions, desires, etc. that I need to change in my life.  The Spirit uses all types of teaching tools to point out and reveal areas of our life in which we need to make the proper adjustments.  How can we expect anything to be different if we do not take the action to make things different?  If we face life with a bad attitude and never strive to alter that attitude we can expect our attitude to remain one  that not only effects us but it also effects those that are around us (one example).  I fully understand that we need to allow the Spirit to perform His work in our lives but let's be honest for a moment; we have to make ourselves available to Him and His work in our hearts.  Let me say it another way, we have to commit ourselves to cooperating with the Spirit so that the needed changes can take place.  Those actions on our part can only become truly effective if we commit to changing our old habits and allowing the Spirit to develop a "new me" in which I reflect the glory of God at work in my heart.

 

I recently read an article that contained some information concerning habits and I would like to share a portion of it with you.  Take a moment and listen for the voice of the Spirit as you read the following words.  Robert Epstein reveals three keys to changing a bad habit to a good one. One, modify your environment. One student placed his bicycle in his doorway before he left for work so when he returned home, that was the first thing he saw, and all he needed to start pedaling away. Two, monitor your behavior. Psychologists don't know why monitoring works, but the fact is if we monitor what we do, we'll probably do better. When we weigh ourselves regularly we may well start to lose weight. When we keep a record of what we eat and we'll probably start eating more wisely. When we track our spending we'll probably save money. Three, make a commitment. When we make a commitment to another person, we put pressure on ourselves to follow through. That's why people have exercise partners and pay money to attend seminars. The commitment causes us to persevere and complete our goals.

 

Each of us need to seek to become the person that God has called us to be.  Will we choose to work with the Spirit in accomplishing this goal in our lives?