… and call it a life.
We can live the same year 75 times and call it a life if we never change or try new things. It is easy to wake up one day and find ourselves living on auto-pilot and stuck in a well-worn rut.
This is a guest post by Beth Harris. She is a wife, mother, Bible study leader and volunteer editor for markalanwilliams.net.
I usually do not enjoy change or surprises, but my husband and I have always talked about visiting Washington D.C. and New York City. However, we kept visiting the same familiar places. We were kind of stuck in a comfortable rut.
So, a few years ago we took the opportunity to visit these cities in the fall. The first week we saw historical sites and museums in Washington D.C. The second week we visited Times Square, Central Park and the 9/11 Memorial in New York City. We rode the subway, met new people and experienced new places. As a result, we created wonderful memories that we will never forget.
But, we had to step outside of our comfort zone, make plans and reservations for the two weeks. We had some pre-flight jitters and fear that comes with staying in unfamiliar cities. Yet we had the most wonderful time.
Living life on repeat means that we could live the same year over and over, thus forfeiting opportunities for change and growth. We may even be missing out on the real meaning of life.
Would you like to make sure that you don’t live the same year over again?
Here are 4 steps to break out of a rut so you don’t live the same year over and over:
1. Accept God’s Purpose for Life
Isaiah 43:19 says, “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” (NIV)
God does new things and so should we! After all, He did a new thing by making a way for us to be redeemed and reconciled to Him through Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:17 says, Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (NIV)
What good news that we don’t have to wait for New Year’s Day to do new things and become new people.
We can begin to change today. In Christ, we are not the same. We become new creations and we begin to live by faith.
With Jesus in control life can be filled with adventure.
2. Seek God for Dreams, Visions and Goals
If we feel like we’re stuck, doing the same thing the same way, we can seek God in prayer and through His Word for fresh dreams, visions and goals.
The idea is that we should be prayerful and thoughtful in considering change and trying new things.
3. Invite God to Interrupt Plans
Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. (NIV)
As Christians, it is wise to plan but then submit our schedules to God. We can invite Him to interrupt our agenda and trust Him to guide us. He may shake things up and lead us to take a different route, speak to a different person or try something entirely new.
We will be blessed if we make ourselves available to be used by Him.
4. Embrace Change
Once we accept that change is necessary and inevitable, it may be less traumatic when it happens.
We can begin to embrace change and trust that God is in control.
Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (NIV)
Even when change is hard, God has a purpose for it and He promises to work for our good in all things
This topic reminds me of another quote:
Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
Most would agree that we don’t want to live the same year 75 times and call it a life. Trying new things and embracing change can lead to different results.
What change would you like to make?
Your thoughts are welcome! You can leave a comment below.
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Additional resources about related subjects on this site:
Quotecard You will never change your life…
quotecard We Make Our Decisions…
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