What captures our attention?
As we start a New Year it is interesting to think about what it is that consumes our thoughts…when we have addictions or other problems in our lives, they are often the things that we dwell on. Most of us can relate to going thru the day thinking, “I’m not going to do that, I’m not going to do that, I’m NOT going to do THAT…” & guess what we end up doing…the very thing we didn’t want to do!
How can we change this?
There’s a law in psychology that says whatever gets your attention gets you! The Bible has some good advice on what we can do to change what “gets our attention:
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. - Colossians 3:2
..whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things. – Philippians 4:8
This year, instead of dwelling on our problems, how about dwelling on what Jesus has done for us – Jesus died for each one of us (no-one is beyond His reach). When Jesus gets our attention, when He fills our thoughts our lives can be transformed.
Choices and changes:
Many things in life are out of our control…as they say, bad things happen to good people. Many of us let our past define our future – we never escape the shame or guilt of it & we end up becoming what others said we would. We wake up one day & wonder how our lives ended up this way – “it’s not my fault” we may be heard to say. And the truth is, where our lives have ended up, may have very little to do with us…that is until now.
Once we awaken to the idea that we want our life to be different, we must face the reality that we have choices to make concerning our life – do we remain captive to our past or do we choose a different future.
Jesus said that He came to preach good news to the poor, to bind up the broken hearted, to set the captives free & bring release for the prisoners. Jesus is telling us that He came so that our life can be different – He came to bring us true freedom. Each of us gets to define our future by the choices we make today. We don’t have to let our future be defined by the things we’ve done, or that have been done to us, in the past.
Today we get to choose God’s ways & to believe that He has something good for us. Choosing God is choosing to take responsibility for our decisions & recognising that, in spite of what we have previously believed, today is filled with endless possibility.
With God’s guidance, each of us gets to redefine our future – let’s make choices that lead to freedom.
Changing the impossible:
"I can't do it" never yet accomplished anything: "I will try" has accomplished wonders.
-- George P. Burnham
Paul writes, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength”
-- Philippians 4:13
And when Jesus was asked by the disciples, “Who then can be saved?” He replied, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.”
-- Luke 18:27
If attempting to do things in your own strength isn’t working for you, how about giving it a go with God…with Him in control, the possibilities are endless – take a look in the Bible, God is in the habit of changing the impossible.
The Good News of Easter
During the week I was asked if I really believed that God could forgive the terrible things that someone had done. Another person told me they doubted God could really change their circumstances. Still another wondered whether God was still there in their struggles, or had he turned his back on them. Such questions reflect the despair we can feel when we face the reality of what we are really like & the things we have done…we wonder if things can ever change.
God provides us with answers to these questions – it is found in the death & resurrection of Jesus. In Jesus, what seemed like the greatest defeat, the cross, was turned into the greatest victory – the grave is empty… Jesus is risen. His resurrection reminds us that death can be turned into life … God’s light can pierce the darkness … our sins are forgiven.
This gift is for every one of us, no-one is excluded. But like all gifts, we need to accept it. Too many people leave God’s greatest gift unopened, they decide it’s not for them.
Life can be different. It starts when we recognise that running our own lives, our own way is what’s gotten us into trouble…we need help. That help is found when we choose to make Jesus Lord of our life.
Freedom
What does it mean to be free? A lot of people would say that freedom is being able to do whatever we want, whenever we want. For those of us who struggle with addictions, this is where our troubles started – the very thing we thought we were free to use, now controls us… we are no longer free to say no.
Paul said in 1 Corinthians 6:12, “Everything is permissible for me” – but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me” – but I will not be mastered by anything.
In the midst of our dysfunction, we can kid ourselves that we are the ones in control – “I know when to stop” we tell ourselve
s. “But ask yourself, “Are you free to say no?” If someone pushes your buttons, are you free to walk away?
Jesus came that we may experience a full life, a life of freedom. If there are things in our life that control us, then we are not living the life that Jesus came to bring. When we choose to hand control of our lives over to Him, he begins to give us the strength & courage to choose to say no to things.
True freedom is found when we are free to say no to anything that controls our life, & yes to the life that Jesus has for us.
God’s way:
Have you ever thought about the fact that you are the person you are today because of the choices you made yesterday. And the choices you make today, both good & bad, will affect the person you become tomorrow.
Because our choices build on each other, one choice can have a huge impact on our life – in either a positive or negative manner.
At our Friday night meetings we have been looking at forgiveness & making amends, things that don’t come naturally to us. It is tough to forgive people who have hurt us & tough to admit we need to make amends to those we have hurt others. And yet both of these things are keys to our healing.
Making amends & offering forgiveness are a choice, we are not going to reach a place where we “feel” like doing them. But we can reach a place where we are willing to say to God, “I might not want to do these things, but with your help, I choose to do them.”
When we choose to do things God’s way, one choice at a time, one day at a time, we are building a Godly foundation for our life, and that’s where our healing begins. You can begin that journey now…choose God’s way, one choice at a time.
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