Change!

It must be the season! Do you see it too? Every day someone is urging me to change. Change what, exactly? What if I like me and don’t want to change?  Relax.  This is neither a philosophical nor motivational post about all the things wrong with your life. In fact, it’s just the opposite. I believe we can all be satisfied with who we are and be our own cheerleader while making little adjustments in our navigation to improve the course we’re on. OK so those little adjustments probably mean change – at least a few little ones.  To get us started, remember that attitude is just about everything, so let’s review the one attitude that trickles through the foundation of our attitude: Gratitude (Ephesians 5:20 – Give thanks in all things) That’s a tough one sometimes.  Finding a way to be thankful though will change your perspective on your circumstances – 100% of the time.
With the persistent messages coming at us to change, our answer has to be “change what?” Then assess what little adjustments we need to make in the path we’re on to effect the outcome. There is no point in writing my list here, because it resembles no one else’s. Remember I am unique, just as you are unique. Even so there are similarities, so here’s an assignment. I’m doing this too because while I don’t want to change everything, I do want to change something. Here is one small change that I committed to – 5 minutes with God every day, just me and Him. Surprised? Don’t be. I’ve kept that commitment for quite some time now but it was a change from my ordinary, 5 seconds before I ate dinner. That one change has made me a different person. You might remember the post where I described how we come to recognize the voice of God.
So – that is just one small navigational change in my life. What other changes can I  make that don’t shout at me to CHANGE, but to consciously evaluate how to best live out my purpose and make a difference. I’ll give you a heads up though.  Listen closely because I can’t say this too loudly for fear of starting an online mutiny. There are no rosy tinted glasses, there is no silver lining, and neither Cloud 9 nor seventh heaven exist.  What we have is the reality that life comes packaged as a bundle of good and bad, rushes of excitement coupled with the mundane, ultimate successes and threaded with failures, and that’s what we’ve got. This is where attitude reigns and it’s the one thing we have control over.
Whether we want to change a little or a lot – let’s begin with an attitude of gratitude, then let’s choose to change only those things that we know are out of alignment with God’s purpose for our life. No matter what, no matter where, life is better when God is there.  I love reading the Bible using the Message translation.  I hope you love these words from Psalm 139: 1-5 God, investigate my life; get all the facts firsthand. I’m an open book to you; even from a distance, you know what I’m thinking. You know when I leave and when I get back; I’m never out of your sight. You know everything I’m going to say before I start the first sentence.
God bless your life today and light your path to the changes He would have you make to live successfully and confidently.

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