“We cannot
fix what is wrong on the inside of us by re-arranging what’s on the outside” - Rick
Atchley.
Intellectually,
most of us would agree with the truth of that statement. It makes sense. However, in practice, we do just the
opposite.
I know lots
of people who act on the principle that says, “If I just change… (fill in the
blank)… then I will be happy” and sometimes they are right. Sometimes one small change yields big results. More often than not, though, if people are
not happy where they are, then they will not be happy in another place. Buying a new house, getting a new job, or moving
across the country may provide a temporary distraction and something new to
think about, but in the end you still end up with the one thing that has not
changed; you!
Churches fall into this trap too. Many think, “If we just … (fill in the
blank)… then we will start to grow.”
Therefore, they throw out the pews and bring in chairs. They change the
order of their worship service and they type of music that they use. Often all this does is unsettle the people
who were there and liked what was being done in the first place. Moving things around and changing a bunch of
stuff does not usually provide long term results.
So if we know that changing external things
really changes nothing, why do so many groups, organizations and individuals
continue to do it?
Because it
is easy!
It is
easier to change jobs than it is to change yourself. It is easier to rearrange some of the details
of your life than it is to renovate the core things. Working on the surface will always be quicker
than fixing what is wrong on the inside.
However,
God invites you to look deeper. In
Ezekiel 36, he says: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you”
(verse 26).
God does
not want to just rearrange a few items in your world. He wants to give you a
new heart, a new spirit, a new outlook and a new start.
Granted,
this may take some time. It may not be
quick or easy, but it will be lasting and it will change everything.
“What a God
we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus!
Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life and
have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts
now!” (1 Peter 1:3-4)
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