God, though does not impose change on
us, even though it might sometimes feel that way… It has been said that “God is
a Gentleman” and that means we are partners in the transformative process. I
came across this saying on Facebook a couple of weeks ago and I think it
summarizes our responsibility in the journey of change nicely.
First we must be willing to make the
Choice to be open to the work God is doing in our lives. Then we have to Trust
God enough to take the Chance of stepping out in faith. Only then will real
Change happen and we will indeed be transformed.
How do we embark on these three
steps?
Certainly, prayer and Bible study are
necessary for us to discern what God is doing in and through us. It can be very
easy to discount the importance of the ‘little things’ we do and not see them
as part of Kingdom work. The simple little day-to-day interactions can have as
much impact as huge mission trips. You don’t know if the smile you offer may be
just the thing to brighten a discouraged store clerk. A note of love might
encourage a friend who is feeling down and letting that person into rush hour
traffic ahead of you may ease their stress. It takes making a Choice to do
these things and to know that you might not know the results.
Making the Choice to do something for
the Kingdom means we are Trusting God and taking the Chance to be vulnerable
and to be rejected. The clerk you smile at may remain sullen and the person you
let into traffic may not even acknowledge your thoughtfulness. You’ve planted a
small seed, though, and perhaps someday that seed will germinate and grow.
Whether or not we see outward results
from our Choice and from taking a Chance, we will indeed be Changed a bit
inside. You cannot smile at someone else and remain grumpy yourself. You can’t
do something nice and continue to grump about the day. The seed you plant may
just be inside your own heart. And that is good, because that seed will grow
into the transformation into the image of Christ.
So, I challenge you to Make a Choice,
to Take a Chance, and see what Change Happens in your heart and life. In fact,
because in God there are no coincidences (just places where God wants to remain
anonymous), yesterday I heard of a woman who has posted on her blog three
simple words that she uses when situations get tense, troublesome, or too much:
“Lord Change Me”. (I wish I could give you the link, but I was in the car and
didn’t catch the entire blog address.) “Me” is the only entity I have any hope
of changing, so…praying “Lord Change Me” is a good place to start.
Warning, though-God will take you up
on that request and you will be changed in ways you may not have expected!
Next month, I invite you to come
along on some meditations based on Madeline L’Engle’s book A Stone for a
Pillow.
