Can I Start Over…Again…in 2010?
By editor on Jan 16, 2010 in Featured, Health & Fitness
Can I Start Over…Again…in 2010?
By Laurette Willis, Director of PraiseMoves, LLC
www.PraiseMoves.com
“Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert” Isaiah 43:18–19.
The beginning of the year. A new year and a new start. Perhaps you’ve talked yourself into believing this month will be like last month, or this year will be like last year. Maybe you have heard whispers in your ear that the mistakes you’ve done before will be repeated again. Someone may have told you, as was once said to me, “a leopard never changes its spots.”
Funny about that saying about the leopard never changing its spots. Did you know that comes from the Bible? It’s from Jeremiah 13:23. Before I came to know the Lord in 1987, I was that leopard who could never change her spots. I had so many “spots” on me that only the Lord Himself could see something salvageable beyond the spots and stains caused by a life of sin.
It is true. A leopard cannot change its spots. I could not cleanse myself from sin. Neither can you. Are there some things you would like to do differently in 2010? Are there certain paths you’ve taken that you do not want to take again? Do you want to improve your health, lose some excess weight, and become more physically fit? Would you like to improve your relationship with God, with members of your family, and with friends and co-workers? Would you like to improve your family’s lifestyle financially, get a new or better job, pay down some debt — – perhaps simplify your life in some way? Things have gotten a bit complicated, haven’t they?
Would you consider asking yourself this question: “What are the three most important things in my life?” Please write them here in the spaces provided. Write them in the order of their importance to you.
1. ___________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________________________
For most people, their relationship with God, family and loved ones are usually somewhere in the top three. Health, finances, work, education or ministry-related goals are often in the top three as well.
Holy Spirit Spot Remover?
Let us consider for a moment the Scripture from Isaiah 13:23 “Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil.”
Wait a second! Surely an Ethiopian, Norwegian, Israeli or Cherokee cannot change his skin, neither can a leopard change its spots. So why does the Lord then follow this statement with the admonition that we are to do good, we who are accustomed to doing evil? Oh, I know you are not “accustomed” to doing evil. However, would you agree there are some areas in which you are more prone to sin than others?
It seems on the one hand, that we are being told we cannot change, and on the other hand, we are told to change. It reminds me of Paul’s words in Romans 7:24, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?”
The answer to this perplexing and soul-wrenching dilemma is found in the next verse. “I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh, the law of sin.”
No, you cannot change your spots. Only God can. We can with our minds choose to turn to the Lord to help us. The Holy Spirit lives on the inside of your recreated human spirit once you have surrendered your life to Jesus Christ. By ourselves we can do nothing, but with Him all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).
How can we show our willingness to make 2010 better than last year—to be more of the person God created us to be? Take a look at the three things you wrote in the spaces above. Ask the Lord right now to tell you something you can do right now to see improvement in each of these three areas. You may be surprised how simple the ideas may be which occur to you. I’ve found that the Lord leads us in STEPS, not LEAPS.
The word of God says, in James 1:5-8 we are told, we can ask God for wisdom, and he will give it to us. Write down a few words in each of these categories. Please do that now.
Then May You Also Do Good
Perhaps one of the things on your list was to grow in your relationship with God. Investing time with the Lord at the start of each day is something the Lord told me to start doing years ago. When I was a young Christian, I remember hearing these words in my heart: “Read, study and pray for 20 minutes a day.” That is where I started. Sometimes I would do more, sometimes, I would do less – and sometimes I would forget! But in time, investing time with the Lord every single day became a habit and my delight. Even after all these years, however, my flesh still balks and wants to go back to sleep!
One Bible teacher I know used to get up at 5:00 in the morning to read the Bible. To keep from falling asleep, he would read standing on the edge of the bathtub! His flesh soon got the idea that no matter what, he was going to read his Bible every day and not fall asleep!
The point is, we can take action in the new direction, and trust God to take us the rest of the way. Often, a willing heart and a step forward is all that is required. I believe that is where “then may you also do good” comes in. You do what you can, following the leading of the Lord, and He will take you the rest of the way.
In time, that good thing will become a habit. If you want to become healthier, more fit, lose some excess weight and keep it off, it will take a change of lifestyle. Remember, you cannot change your spots. You cannot work only on the outside of you and expect permanent change. All of the diets and the best exercise plan in the world will never feed a hungry heart. Only the Lord can do that. The change must come from the inside. With God’s help, it can be done, and you will succeed.
Take one more look at those three areas in your life that are most important to you. Consider the things you can do right now, the small steps you can take right now – even today – to start seeing improvement in those areas. Hold your list up to the Lord and give them to Him. “I give these to You, Lord, and ask you to help me do better every day, by Your grace, in Jesus’ name. Amen.”
There! You have already taken action. You are acknowledging that you are not trying to “change your spots.” You are, however, doing good by asking help from the only One who is all good.
Now, take a step and do one more thing on that list. Whatever it is, do that one good thing – whether it is taking a walk, saying a prayer for someone else, reading your Bible, calling someone on the phone you have not spoken with in a long time, drinking a glass of water instead of a soda pop, hugging your child or telling your spouse how important he or she is to you – do that one thing IN FAITH and see the beauty of the Scripture from Isaiah 43 come to pass in your life.
Lastly, speak these words aloud with me, these words the Lord spoke through the prophet Isaiah thousands of years ago—speaking to you in 2010 or wherever you are TODAY: “Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”
Yes Lord, together we can start over again in 2010. Amen!
And now I’d like to invite you to learn about our PraiseFast weight loss program, get the free "Fit Favorites Devotional" and PraiseMoves FitNews. To get yours, go to http://praisemoves.com.
© Laurette Willis 2009
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Christian Fitness Expert and author Laurette Willis is the Director of PraiseMoves, offering fitness programs, DVDs, books and training for those interested in a Christian alternative to yoga, and fitness for spirit, soul and body at http://praisemoves.com . To follow Laurette on Twitter visit http://twitter.com/Fit4Christ and on FaceBook: http://facebook.com/praisemoves
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