There are countless times people have desired to change their lives, fueled by the hope of immediate and significant personal development. Those unhealthy habits of overindulgence or the lack of commitment to follow through are at the top of the list to address.
The reality is that some of us take a deep breath and plunge into the task with fervor. often for twenty days (before it becomes a habit). Then something comes up that changes our direction and focus. It’s a fact that few smokers quit because of a single moment of resolve. Few obese people have become slim and healthy because of one dramatic moment of commitment. Few people who were deeply in debt have changed their financial lifestyle because they have resolved to do so! Few marriages have changed because of a dramatic resolution without continual efforts to improve and stay on task.
People say, “If it isn’t broken… why fix it? Is change important? Yes, it is important for all of us. From the womb until we leave this life, change happens. Is commitment to change essential? Commitment is critical and essential to any personal change we attempt to make. We can make a list of all the changes in our lives that have resulted from our commitments.
When it comes to breaking deep, habitual, and unproductive habits, change must originate within a person’s soul. Many people want to change but lack the heart to make sacrifices and the discipline to change. God’s transforming grace allows a person to recognize that the greatest results for personal change come through Him.
I think about my life as a young person desiring not to repeat my father’s legacy, which was to run away from commitment when changes happened, and things became difficult. As much as I wanted to be different from him, I developed some unhealthy habits that took me away from what I desired in my soul. It was easier to give in to the weakness of my will than to resist and pursue what my heart desired.
There can be no change without the discipline of mind, spirit, and body to achieve your goals. It wasn’t until I humbly asked God to help me break free of the things that were holding me back and apply the discipline before real change happened. It was a leap of faith and a lifetime of trust!
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life].
Celebrate with us and experience the Good Life at the Villages Community Chapel in Cribari Auditorium every Sunday at 10 a.m., where you will be encouraged by the Word of Life and enjoy coffee and cookies with friends. The chapel is a place where needs are met, faith is affirmed, and new friends are embraced. You can view our worship services on YouTube at http://www.villagescommunitychapel.vgcc.club