I heard someone make a comment not so long ago about change. They said no one ever really changes. They just do something different temporarily then go back to how they were when they get bored with it.
I will tell you this struck me as offensive at first. Non positive and REALLY not supportive when we were discussing how some people were making so many wonderful changes in their lives for the better. I didn’t say anything, just basically let it go and went my merry way.
The more I got to thinking about it. I mean really thinking about it. It is true. I know you are probably not happy with me for saying this but…
People do not really change. There are lyrics and proverbs about it through out history with warnings on how to be cautious of a changed person. NOW….Before you get all up in the air with me.. Please let me finish.
There is a difference between change.. and growth.. and someone that has made progressive results in their life through learning from past mistakes to not do that again. Can they fall off the wagon or can it happen again sure it can.
Some people make mistakes over and over and over before really learning the lesson that is at stake. Sometimes it takes hitting the bottom of the barrel, others it is just the fear of hitting it that makes them grow into the next level of what they need to be doing.
I personally believe that no one can grow or make everlasting differences in their life without the help of our lord and savior. You can try to do it on your own but you will keep making the same mistakes, ending up in the same places. The saying IF YOU WANT SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN YOUR LIFE YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO GET THERE. Is one I hold close as a mantra of sorts.
Have you ever looked at yourself from an outside angle? REALLY looked? not just at your outward physique? not at your clothes or how your hair is fixed. Look at your life. How you represent your family, Do you want your children to do what you do? everything. The things you do behind closed doors that no one (you think) sees?
We always want better for our children. We want a better education, better health, a better life than we had. So in order for our children to have this we must be able to show them what better looks like. HOW?
By being the example. IF you want your child active in church and church activities. YOU need to be going to church and be involved in church activities.
How many of you seen someone just yelling and screaming at a store clerk with their child standing there. Then later see that child get into a fight then them punish that child extensively and not understand why their child acts the way they do? (maybe they need to do something different?)
Getting involved in their school. You want your child to make better grades? Then get involved with what they are doing at school and with their class. KNOW what homework they bring home check it.. make sure they know it. Talk to their teachers.
You want your child to be healthy and eat healthy foods. Guess what. DON’T take them out for fast food all the time. Eat at home. COOK good nutritious healthy foods for them and YOU EAT them as well. BE THE EXAMPLE.
Let them see you read the bible better yet have a daily devotion time as a family.
Doing these things and more getting into a schedule a routine is just like anything else. IT BECOMES HABIT. You can make habit of bad things just like good things. YES I do believe people can change. Do I believe they can change back? Yes I do. That is why I feel it important to be around others that have the same goals and want the same things you do.
IF they are going to not support you, speak positive, if they are going to take everything you say as criticism and be ugly Then why are you wanting to be around them in the first place?
You are wanting your life and your family to succeed and be better so don’t spend time in the places or around the people that were causing you issues in the first place. that is setting yourself up for disaster and failure. You can’t move forward if you are looking backwards.
Sometimes it takes giant steps in the right direction to get you on the path you want to be on. God will show you the right way to go. He only wants you to be willing. That is all. He will handle the rest. It is like with any challenge you may slip but get right back up and continue do not say oh well that blew it and just lay there. That is not how God works. It is not how growth works. Sometimes you have to trim your branches to make the most fruitful part of your tree bloom.
So think about your life and how things are going. Maybe it is time to spend more time with an open bible and on your knees in prayer and thinking positive handing things over to God instead of letting the little things become HUGE messes and spreading them around instead of letting him just contain them and make them go away. We have to get over ourselves in order to do that. Be willing to give up our selfish pride and just say ok here it is lord I have no clue what I am doing… grow me. You will be amazed at what all things can REALLY CHANGE.
I am not saying I am perfect by any means and this is not to give that impression. This has been on my heart ever since I heard this in a conversation and I wondered how many others maybe thought this way. Our pastor touched on this in several sermons. I really absorbed it. We have been growing and doing things different. Belittling others and saying it is no use that no one changes is not something I look at or will ever accept. We have so little time on this earth I know the reason we are here. You need to find out why you are here. EVERYONE HAS A PURPOSE. God does not make mistakes. There is no reason to waste your life with negativity and nonsense. There is such a life of love waiting. If you just listen to him.
ThatsNancyWithaJones 