Change

I cannot take credit for these words but I found them inspiring & wanted to share:


"Standing at the end of one year and the beginning of another I've been doing some thinking: did I change in ways I wanted to change this part year? Did I accomplish what I set out to accomplish? Or do I find myself much the same as I was twelve months ago? I wish the answers were simply yes, yes, and no, but it's not quite so simple. The Bible says "Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun" (2 Cor 5:17, NLT). As a follower of Jesus, why do I struggle at times to experience 'newness', i.e., positive change and growth?  A book I recently read posed some great questions. If God is the source of life, why do I work so hard to secure my life instead of simply receiving from him? If God controls everything, why do I try to control things instead of yielding to His control? If God is the Judge of good and evil, why do I make my own judgments instead of honoring His? If God sets the rules of life, why do I make my own rules instead of obeying His? Looking back, the times I've struggled to grow were the times I was avoiding questions like these. But, with these truths in mind, this new year can be different...in a good way. How about you, how is your new year shaping up?" Pastor Andy Vallace Heartland Alliance Church