It has been said that “If ‘if’s’ and ‘buts’ were candy and nuts, we would all have a Merry Christmas.” In other words, our excuses in life would pay big dividends if they had any value. It is amazing the excuses we give when we don’t want to change something or think we can’t change. We hear statements like:v I was born this way.
v This is just the way I am.
v I’ve tried to change, but nothing works.
The trouble is our pride may be covering up a real problem in our life. If the problem is negatively affecting other people, they are probably telling us about it. Are we listening? If it is a real problem, we will continue to do it even though it hurts people? We will focus our thoughts, time, and spending around it. We will deny it is a problem and keep doing it in secret.
Someone said people change in three ways: they learn enough they can, they are empowered enough that are able to, or they hurt enough they have to change. Unfortunately, the last one causes the most change in people.
The hope of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that we can change. To say we can’t change is to say God is not powerful enough or able to bring a change in our lives. In Mark 10:27 Jesus said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” There is no sin too deep, no addiction so devastating, no relationship so broken, no “if” that had happened or “but” I could have, should have, or might have that God cannot bring about a positive ending in our lives.
Let’s quit saying we believe in God and believe that our lives can’t change. That idea goes against everything Jesus taught.
Come see us Sunday. We will be talking about that.
Pastor Jeff
No comments:
Post a Comment