GospelFit THANKSgiving Diet Challenge Day 2 ~ Changed Part 2

Day 2 – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NCV) 16 Always be joyful.17 Pray continually, 18 and give thanks whatever happens. That is what God wants for you in Christ Jesus.

Yesterday, we talked about being grateful for the changed life we received when we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  Today, we want to think in more detail about what those changes might look like in our lives. If we can’t name the changes, we can’t fully express gratitude. Can We Talk?!

Before Christ set you free were you a quitter? NOW you have the power to persevere. Did you procrastinate? NOW you  have the power to plan your work and work your plan with time to spare. Did you have unforgiveness and bitterness in your heart? NOW you have been set free to love,  forgive, and be reconciled. The power of God changes us and empowers us to do things that we could not do before. We can give thanks for our new lives and for the power of God working in the lives of those we love and interact with daily. Everyone should have access to this power. Our hearts ache for the lost who do not know the power of Jesus to save, deliver, and set free.

How has God’s power changed your life?

Make your prayer today ” Lord, make me an instrument in Your Kingdom to save the lost”.

Quitting is not an option…Are you a Finisher?

By the title of this blog, you know that we are going to talk about quitting or a least NOT quitting. This blog came to me during a night of insomnia. That night I had the whole blog worked out in my head. When I woke up, I could not remember a thing. NOTHING. Two days later, listening to the Bible Experience (a must have by the way) the story of Peter walking on water jolted my memory. We will talk about Peter shortly.

I had been talking to family and friends about my doctoral journey. I said, if I could have seen and anticipated the work, the commitment, and how exhausted I would be at this point I might not have started. Here is a freebie…this is one reason why God does not show us the end or even the middle of a thing at the beginning, because we might not ever start the journey. Although I never said anything about quitting (just venting, you know me) several people immediately said, “You can’t quit”…“you’ve come so far”. Quitting is not an option. In fact, quitting is not in my DNA. However, it did start me to thinking about why people quit particularly when they have asked for and passionately pursued the thing (job, degree, relationship, marriage, and self-improvement) they now want to quit.

When Peter walked on water, it was his request to go to Jesus on the water. He said, “Lord, if it is you, tell me to come to you on the water”. Peter was walking on water! However, when the wind picked up, Peter became afraid and began to sink, asking Jesus to save him from drowning.

We do the same…We ask God to direct us and show us what we should be doing. We ask for guidance in returning to school, starting a ministry, getting married, quitting a bad habit like drinking or smoking, leaving or getting a new job or career, OR _____. You fill in the blank. At the first sign of trouble (the wind picks up) we are ready to throw in the towel, wanting to be rescued, wanting to quit!

We have to decide (choose) to stay the course, particularly the courses that we ask God to set us on and bless. If we trust that He knows best and knows us best then we have to trust the course He put us on and we have to learn (through faith) to persevere.

Conversely, we do have to know when something is over. Quitting implies that we are leaving something half done or undone. If we have unfinished emotional, financial, relational, spiritual “business” with something that we are involved in or someone then it may not be time to leave or let go. We have to seek guidance before we decide the time is right to move on. Then we can move forward without having to look back. Don’t quit and you never have to wonder what if.