The Fix
May 26, 2016
READ: II Corinthians 5:17
I see people all the time determined to change their life, good people. They say, “I’m at a bad place; I know I need to get to a better place. I know I’m going down a bad path and I need to fix it.” So they go about making changes, but they focus on outside solutions: they come to church a little more, try a little harder, avoid certain people, places, and things that tend to lead them into trouble. They get a little therapy, do a few good deeds, watch Dr. Phil, get a little advice, and they make some progress. They feel good about it, but somehow it never seems to last. They fall back into the same old patterns, habits, and attitudes. It’s exhausting, frustrating and depressing trying to fix yourself or someone else.
The good news is that your life can be changed and you can find what is missing, but not by your effort alone, and not by anything you do on the outside. You can fix up, dress up, make up, busy up, save up, buy up, achieve up, religious up, or ante-up, but it just won’t work. People are changed when their hearts are changed on the inside. Jesus is in the heart-changing business. It takes more than willpower to change your life. It takes Jesus power. He can make you brand new.
I see people all the time determined to change their life, good people. They say, “I’m at a bad place; I know I need to get to a better place. I know I’m going down a bad path and I need to fix it.” So they go about making changes, but they focus on outside solutions: they come to church a little more, try a little harder, avoid certain people, places, and things that tend to lead them into trouble. They get a little therapy, do a few good deeds, watch Dr. Phil, get a little advice, and they make some progress. They feel good about it, but somehow it never seems to last. They fall back into the same old patterns, habits, and attitudes. It’s exhausting, frustrating and depressing trying to fix yourself or someone else.
The good news is that your life can be changed and you can find what is missing, but not by your effort alone, and not by anything you do on the outside. You can fix up, dress up, make up, busy up, save up, buy up, achieve up, religious up, or ante-up, but it just won’t work. People are changed when their hearts are changed on the inside. Jesus is in the heart-changing business. It takes more than willpower to change your life. It takes Jesus power. He can make you brand new.