Desiring to Change
My “must watch” Christmas movie the last few years has been A Christmas Carol with George C. Scott. I realize that it can be spooky and a bit scary for some people, but it is thought provoking and has a great message if you can get past the eeriness.
I’m sure almost everyone is familiar with this classic about Ebenezer Scrooge, the mean, selfish, wealthy miser who cares nothing for anyone but himself and despises Christmas as a day when people want to deprive him of his hard-earned money. The thing that makes this story great, however, is that it does not end on that note. By the end of the story, Mr. Scrooge realizes that, “If those courses be departed from, the end must change,” and he becomes willing to make those changes. The next morning (Christmas day), no one recognizes him as the man they had seen the day before. Sure, he looks like himself, but he does not act like Mr. Scrooge at all. He is a new person, and it is noticeable to everyone he comes in contact with.
Wouldn’t it be nice if everyone changed that easily? We all have roots of pride and selfishness but, many times, we choose to ignore them and fail to see what effect those things are having on others.
“We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we might be enslaved to sin” (Romans 6:6).
“And he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised” (2 Corinthians 5:15).
When we come to know the Lord, Christ begins to live in and through us. We become a new creation as old things pass away (2 Corinthians 5:17).
My prayer this coming year is that people see more of Christ and less of me. I don’t want to hang on to any “sin that so easily ensnares” (Hebrews 12:1). This week, as the year winds to a close, I encourage you to take the time to look at your life. Are you doing what God wants you to do? Are you impacting people for His Kingdom? Are you walking in faith and victory, full of anticipation for what God is doing in your life, or are you depressed and downhearted? These are questions I am asking myself. It’s not easy but I am making myself be quiet and trusting that God will continue to speak to me this week. As He does, I will share with you all. If the Lord lays it on your heart to share what God is speaking to you, I welcome your comments. Let’s lift each other up as we walk down this road of humbling ourselves together.
What a thought provoking article. A very good timely message.
Most of us have a besetting sin that we have to deal with daily. Yes we do not need to be enslaved. So many of us do not realize the seriousness of sin in our lives, We read that God wants us to be holy, but we fail to deal with the unholy issues in our lives.
Hebrews 12:1 not only mentions for us to lay aside the besetting sin, but we are also admonished to lay aside every weight, not part of the weights, but every, All the weights that do hinder us from being where we need to be with God.
Weights are not sin within themselves, but they could turn out to be.
What are some weights and hindrances for the Saints of God?
I think I will stop here.
But let’s give this some strong thoughts and prayers.
This might be good to continue in another article.
God bless you
Happy New Year