Tuesday, January 4, 2011
New Identity
Along with the New Year comes a slew of new resolutions. People with a desire to be different than they were last year set out on this journey to change themselves, to make self improvements. These resolutions include: lose weight, eat healthy, quit smoking, read more, do better in school, love better, save more money, the list goes on and on.
The thing about it is that our human efforts are futile. We in and of ourselves cannot change who we are. We cannot muster up enough strength to change the motives behind why we have the habits we do. We are flawed. Oh how we try to change ourselves, to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps, so to speak. We resolve to be different. We disregard our natural state of brokenness and weakness to "be that change we want in the world."
I, like so many others, NEED to change this year. Its almost imperative that I not stay in the same place. I NEED to lose weight, and eat healthily. I NEED to love more, be a better friend, give more of my time/money/talent. And for a while I think I could muster the strength to do so. But in doing so by my own strength, I will get burnt out, like so many of us do. I will start strong and a month or two down the road, all of my efforts will frustrate me. I won't get the results I wanted...my efforts would be in vain.
So what is the answer. How do we change our identity? How do we find strength that will last? How do we make the change stick?
I've been thinking about these questions lately. I've been thinking of ways that I could change; see the motive of why I do these things or don't do other things is deeply rooted into my humanness. I know I have a problem and I want to fix it. The issue that I find over and over again is that I can't.
I NEED to be healed by the Healer and fixed by the ultimate Fixer, Jesus Christ. I NEED my identity rooted in Him. I NEED my heart to be changed and my thoughts to be renewed. I NEED Jesus. I NEED God. I NEED the Holy Spirit working and moving and pointing me to the cross daily.
So the next question is, how do I get Him? How do I find Him?
I've been thinking about the scripture, "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Matt. 6:33
I think that to figure out what His kingdom is so that I can seek it, I must read His words. To be transformed into His image, I need to know Him more and more. He is life. His words breathe life into me.
I'm not trying to be legalistic about this. I just know that something in my life has to change. I've tried doing things my way. I've tried mustering up strength, but in the end, my efforts fail me.
I am going back to the beginning. By the power of the Holy Spirit, speaking to me through the Word of God, I will change. How could I not?
So just like that, I am starting a new Bible reading plan. I read about it on another blog that I semi follow. You can start it too, if you'd like. Here's the link. http://www.scribd.com/doc/12349985/Professor-Grant-Horners-Bible-Reading-System
I just figure that I need help with my priorities and my identity. I need help doing the things I should be doing in this life. I need help being a good steward of everything I have here on earth between the times. (You know, between the time when Jesus came and when he will return again). Who better than Jesus to help me out?
The thing about it is that our human efforts are futile. We in and of ourselves cannot change who we are. We cannot muster up enough strength to change the motives behind why we have the habits we do. We are flawed. Oh how we try to change ourselves, to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps, so to speak. We resolve to be different. We disregard our natural state of brokenness and weakness to "be that change we want in the world."
I, like so many others, NEED to change this year. Its almost imperative that I not stay in the same place. I NEED to lose weight, and eat healthily. I NEED to love more, be a better friend, give more of my time/money/talent. And for a while I think I could muster the strength to do so. But in doing so by my own strength, I will get burnt out, like so many of us do. I will start strong and a month or two down the road, all of my efforts will frustrate me. I won't get the results I wanted...my efforts would be in vain.
So what is the answer. How do we change our identity? How do we find strength that will last? How do we make the change stick?
I've been thinking about these questions lately. I've been thinking of ways that I could change; see the motive of why I do these things or don't do other things is deeply rooted into my humanness. I know I have a problem and I want to fix it. The issue that I find over and over again is that I can't.
I NEED to be healed by the Healer and fixed by the ultimate Fixer, Jesus Christ. I NEED my identity rooted in Him. I NEED my heart to be changed and my thoughts to be renewed. I NEED Jesus. I NEED God. I NEED the Holy Spirit working and moving and pointing me to the cross daily.
So the next question is, how do I get Him? How do I find Him?
I've been thinking about the scripture, "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Matt. 6:33
I think that to figure out what His kingdom is so that I can seek it, I must read His words. To be transformed into His image, I need to know Him more and more. He is life. His words breathe life into me.
I'm not trying to be legalistic about this. I just know that something in my life has to change. I've tried doing things my way. I've tried mustering up strength, but in the end, my efforts fail me.
I am going back to the beginning. By the power of the Holy Spirit, speaking to me through the Word of God, I will change. How could I not?
So just like that, I am starting a new Bible reading plan. I read about it on another blog that I semi follow. You can start it too, if you'd like. Here's the link. http://www.scribd.com/doc/12349985/Professor-Grant-Horners-Bible-Reading-System
I just figure that I need help with my priorities and my identity. I need help doing the things I should be doing in this life. I need help being a good steward of everything I have here on earth between the times. (You know, between the time when Jesus came and when he will return again). Who better than Jesus to help me out?
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