Do you want to see change in your life?
It is good that you are contemplating change. All of us should spend time reviewing our lives and identifying the changes we need to make. If we are unhappy in a situation, most of us would want change for the better, be it: in the workplace; in our country; in marriage; in a friendship; in our health; in our finances; etc.
Wanting change and choosing change are two different things.
Jim Rohn, a prize-winning motivational speaker with a personal rags to riches story once said: “Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by choice.”
To bring about change, each of us has to make choices in our lives to do things differently.
Often we think that this requires some form of action on our part, and it usually does. But I believe three things have to change inside of us before we can make changes. These are to:
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Change the way we think.
Stop believing that nothing will change! The very nature of having a relationship with God is that nothing, absolutely nothing is impossible for God.
Matt 19:26 “Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
His work in our lives is not finished yet (Phil 1:6 “…he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”). We need to address thinking that is defeated, that settles for second best, gives us a victim mentality and believes there is no way forward.
We have to wean ourselves off poor or habitually negative thought patterns and replace them with the truth of scripture.
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.” – Phil 4:8
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Change the way we speak.
What we really believe in our hearts eventually comes out of our mouths.
Luke 6:45 “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of”.
So when we want change, but constantly bemoan the lack of change, or remain critical, apathetic, negative, ungrateful, unkind and generally harsh and unloving with our words, we bring about exactly what we speak about because we believe in that.
Our “speak” has to come into line with what we really believe in our hearts and minds. Very often we think change, but our hearts still doubt. It shows up in our speech.
Mark 11:23 “‘Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, “Go, throw yourself into the sea,” and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.”
Our talk reflects what we believe and power comes into our lives when we pay attention to what we say as a reflection of what we choose to believe.
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Change the way we pray.
Once we have addressed what we truly believe in our minds, and hearts, so that our speech reflects an attitude of our hearts, then we are ready to pray. We need to step up our faith (what we are believing to see), put our money where our mouth is so to speak, and start praying faith-based prayers.
We need to stop praying “bless me” and “bless them” prayers and start praying about the change we want to see, the change we are believing for and speaking about.
We need to be “fully persuaded” of the promises of God, like Abraham who “did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.” – Rom 8:20-21 Start Praying!
When we have addressed our thoughts, our speech and our prayer, only then can we start to take action and step out in faith. Many of us start by making changes WE think are a good idea, but fail to address these three. We wonder why there is no power seen in our lives, no change that we are looking towards. We have sabotaged change before we have even started to make changes.
Make the choice today to bring about change by looking at how you think and what you actually believe first. You will identify this, by listening to how you speak. Once you know that these areas are in line with the truth of Gods Word, begin to pray. Then only, take action for change.
Father, help me during the times I read your Word, to identify where my thinking and belief is not in line with the truth You reveal in scripture. Guide me in my thoughts to Your way of thinking, so that my belief is based on the promises of scripture. Then help me to pray believing prayers and see the change my heart desires.
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An awesome thought provoking teaching to take to heart. Thanks Michelin
Powerful message and so true. Thanks for sharing