“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” (Romans 12:2 NLT)
Earl Nightingale said: “A rut is a grave with the ends kicked out.” Sometimes that’s a picture of our lives, doing the same things over and over and over again, with no hope of change and nothing to look forward to but death. But thank God, that’s not the way He designed us to live, and He has a plan to pull us out of our rut. Having walked with the Lord for many years, I’ve seen firsthand how He’s engineered circumstances in my life and the lives of many others, to move us in directions we never dreamed possible.
Is it time for a change in your life?
Though I’m not a sports fan, I do occasionally watch a game. There’s an expression used in some sports scenarios where the coach will call “an audible.” It essentially means that rather than run the play prescribed for a given situation, the coach will instead, on the spur of the moment, substitute another play. It’s done to confuse the defense and/or as a last effort to win the game.
There are times in our lives when it becomes necessary to “call an audible.” A time to try something new, different, perhaps unprecedented, something we’ve never done before that seems impossible, but holds the potential of moving us in a fresh, new direction. If you don’t know Jesus, that’s what He wants to do for you today.
Transformation, as used in the above verse, doesn’t necessarily have reference to our outward circumstances, but to the way we think. By God’s grace and with the help of His powerful Spirit living within us, WE can be different, WE can call the proverbial “audible” in our life, even if our outward circumstances never change.
There are lifestyles people today are following that are leading them straight to the grave. By their own or another’s decisions, they are on a proverbial “treadmill” existence, reliving the same day over and over again. STOP!
Even as I type that bold word, STOP, the Lord is reminding me that many who would love to stop, literally can’t. Either because they’re being forced to live the way they are, or because they’ve become so entrenched in the rut of their life, they’ve lost all perspective and hope of ever changing.
Many of the old Negro Spirituals grew out of the circumstances of slavery. A college choir I heard when I was in high school sang a song that said: “Soon I will be over with the troubles of this world…going home to be with God!” And the chorus said: “I’m going to meet my Jesus! I’m going to meet my Jesus! I’m going to meet my Jesus! I’m going home to be with God!”
Am I suggesting that people who are enslaved, literally by those who are evil, or figuratively by lifestyles they’ve chosen for themselves, should just sing a simple song and all would be well? Of course not. What I am saying is knowing Jesus is liberating to our soul. Regardless of our present circumstances, we can realize this earth is not our home. Whether we’re living with much or little, our present life is temporary and has no comparison with the liberating joy of being in heaven with Jesus.
Even if changing your outward circumstances is out of your control, take control of your mind and give yourself to Jesus. Even if you’re being forced to act in ways that are very ungodly, you are precious in God’s sight and loved with an everlasting love. You may be trapped in a lifestyle you would never have chosen for yourself, but there is freedom in Jesus that will liberate your soul and spirit and enable you to have hope in a life to come. A world awaits you that will be perfect in every way. A world that you can cherish and enjoy, but perhaps much more important, a world in which you will be cherished, loved, and liberated to be all God created and intended for you to be . . . for all eternity!
God is with you, even in your misery, and will one day deliver you into His loving, protective arms forever. Just say “yes” to Jesus. Trust Him and leave the rest to Him.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 