transformation

Happy New Year!

2016 is full of potential. Full of opportunities to grow, to love, and to glorify God!

What are your goals this year? Your resolutions? What do you long to see come to fruition, what do you long to change in your life?

Maybe you’re afraid of resolutions, knowing how many times you’ve failed in the past.

If that’s you, hang on and read a little further… you might be surprised at the change God can help you bring about!

First, think about where you’d like to be at this point next year. What do you want to be different by then?

Write it down. Pray about it. Mull it over.

There’s no point to impulsive resolution lists. Sure, you could probably whip off half a dozen things you wish would be different in a year, but if you’ve put only two seconds of thought into them, you’re not too likely to have the resolve you’ll need to follow through with them.

Take your time. What really matters to you? What would you be willing to make some sacrifices for? Let the Lord guide you to the things that count. It may take hours, days, or even weeks to discern where the Lord wants you to focus. But that’s what you need. If you want change, it needs to come from your heart.

A resolution isn’t about wishful thinking. It’s about resolve.

Next, once you have your goal(s) in mind, ask yourself what’s standing in your way?

Do you have internal struggles that will make these changes difficult? Lies you’re believing? External obstacles that you’ll have to work through?

Write down everything that stands between you and your goal. List the truths, list the lies. But don’t let the list discourage you. You can do all things through Christ who gives you strength (Philippians 4:13). And He is faithful to complete the work that He begins. If He is the One starting you on the road to change, you can count on Him to be there with you every step of the way!

Be honest about your struggles. Then take that list of obstacles back to God.

Realize your obstacles are just a gap that the Lord wants to help you bridge.

That’s what transformation is: bridging the gap between where you’re called to go and where you are right now.

Ready to get started on the path to change? Take the time to think and pray through these first three steps, then check back in for the following steps: Making New Year’s Resolutions… And Keeping Them! (Part 2).

by Jennifer Ebenhack