When we have made a decision to change for the better, that is a positive thing. Some change takes very little effort. Let’s say we need to floss our teeth at night, make our bed in the morning, or quit watching TV so late at night. Relatively, this kind of change is easy.
Other changes are harder. What about beginning to exercise, losing weight, applying ourselves at work…we may definitely need a kickstart to get going. We will also need some help to keep at our desired goal.
Some changes are almost impossible to implement in our lives without some real help. Breaking any kind of addiction, be it tobacco, alcohol, drugs, or pornography, usually requires some outside help. It is pretty hard to muster up the inner strength to kick these on our own. Some would say we need a miracle, especially if they have had a hold on us for some time.
That’s where dunamis comes in. In the Scriptures, it is one of the words used to describe God’s power. Google says it this way, “Dunamis is a Greek word meaning “power,” “strength,” or “ability,” often used in the New Testament to signify miraculous, inherent, or supernatural power from God.” It is where we get the word dynamite from.
Wouldn’t it be nice to have some dynamite power to help us make those difficult changes in our lives? The great thing is that it is available to each and every one of us. All we have to do is ask. Yes, that’s it. We just need to ask the Lord for help, and he is available to help us with whatever we need.
“But I don’t know him,” you might say to me. No problem, he knows you, and he is just waiting to help you. His hand is stretched out to help whoever calls on him. “But you don’t know what I’ve done.” True, but he does, and he is there waiting to help you make the changes you need.
Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.” Matt. 7: 7-8. When he says you, he means you. The ground at the cross is level; anyone can come, there is no litmus test you must meet. Come and ask for help. He is just waiting to give you his dynamite power to change.
Last weekend I was looking at Facebook and noticed a man I had gone to school with had posted a sermon he was giving that Sunday. I listened to it for a while and I was amazed at what the Lord had done in his life. He was one of those kids who was a cut-up in school. You could always count on him to do or say something funny. If only the people who had gone to school with him could see him now.
Then, I thought about myself. There was definitely a time in my late teens when I went down a wrong road. I’m sure that anyone looking at me then would not believe that I would be a committed Christian now. I am amazed at what the Lord has done with my life, also.
Why would God do this for those of us who are so unworthy of His love and forgiveness? Because that is the way He works. Scripture says, “But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise,” 1 Cor. 1:27 I mean really, what kind of a God would choose people who totally do not deserve the restoration He gives? Because simply, that is the way He gets the glory for what He does. The Scripture goes on to say, “and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.” 1 Cor. 27-29
I know so many of you do not feel worthy of coming to God. You feel you have gone too far, sinned too much and made a complete wreck of your life. You wonder why would God want you? Because God works in ways that are just opposite of how the world works. He DOES see the value in you and knows that He can take you just the way you are and change your life in a way that no one would believe. And like the Scripture says, He will get the glory for what He does.
For those of you who are struggling right now, come to Him. He is waiting to take your life and make it into something beautiful. Just call out to Him and you will be amazed at what He will do with your life. How do I know? Because I see what He has done in mine.
Last week, I glanced on the floor of my closet and was surprised by what I saw…a pair of old shoes I won’t wear anymore. I’m a minimalist, and so when I replace a pair of shoes, I usually throw the old ones away. I don’t keep them…period. Why hadn’t I thrown them away? I really don’t know, perhaps because they were SO comfortable, I hated to see them go.
We’re coming into a New Year. Most of us want to change at least one thing in our lives, but in order to do that, we are going to have to let go of something comfortable, something familiar. You see, old habits are like old shoes…we need to let them go. Experts tell us that in order to create a new habit, we must do an action for twenty-one days. That’s how long it takes our brains to create a new neural pathway and for that behavior to begin to become familiar or comfortable for us.
I don’t try to make a lot of New Year’s resolutions, but I do pick one or two things that I would like to work on or change in the coming year. This year, for me, it’s time management; I would like to make better use of the time I have. So I have a choice, old shoes on old paths or new shoes on new pathways.
What about you? What would you like to work on in the coming year? Are you ready to let go of the old habits that rob you of your vitality and productivity? If so, let’s throw out the old and make way for the new!
Valerie Cullers 