People Don't Change

So we are almost through the first month of the New Year. I am sure you set goals for yourself right? Lose weight, get a 6 pack, eat healthier, give up coffee, eat less chocolate.
Well…how’s it going? Are you meeting your goals? Seeing results? Sleeping better? Feeling healthier? Less stressed?

Oh the goals…they are so good. But the habits…why are they so hard to break?

To be perfectly honest here…I didn’t make goals like this for myself this year. I enjoy eating healthy, but I also enjoy cookies. I love working out and pushing myself, I love monitoring my social media, it is always good to unplug daily. But in other areas I keep missing the mark…and the weight of the failure is too much. Yet, The Lord revealed to me one very distinct and clear thing…If I want to change my habits, I must have a change of heart. Well that makes sense Father, I feel like You are on to something. So I decided to take a step back…and He clearly revealed to me the underlying issue…problem…habit.

My bad habit is I struggle to trust God.

All I saw was a big gaping hole between me and God…and that hole has been filled with all my trust issues. Isn’t that what my entire relationship with God is based upon? Isn’t that what ANY relationship is based upon? Trust? Suddenly my faith seemed really really small. Talk about being honest here, I felt like my relationship with God didn’t have much depth at all. My heart began to ache…

I remember praying after Christmas this last year, asking and pleading, “God I don’t want to have small faith, I want to let go of the places in my life where I don’t trust You…I see how it effects everything, my health, my sleep, my marriage, my parenting…my mindset.”

And I could spend all my time working on my parenting, my marriage, my health, my habits but I realized the deeper issue is my heart. That if I don’t change my heart the habits will always exist. I pressed in more, I fasted, I prayed, I sought Him deeply…and the Spirit revealed 3 keys to understanding how to have a change of heart.

1. It’s a process – The change takes place along the way-the nitty gritty here and now, that’s where Jesus meets you. I love the part in the scripture that says, “Let the peace of Christ rule over your hearts…” (Colossians 3) Your heart meaning your mind, will and emotions. Now isn’t that right there the whole daily battle and struggle? Our hearts are fickle and they trick us and deceive us. And yet we are called to let the peace of Christ rule, have supreme authority over them. That is a distinct portion in the process of change.
2. The more we give ourselves to God, the more ourselves we become – You may be disappointed in your start of 2016, in the habits you keep writing down year after year that you want to break, you may be disappointed but He is not. You are on your own personal journey with God. Let Him tell you who you are, don't name yourself based on other's opinions or your own opinion. Remember that we are loved. Born out of love, into love, to know and be loved. (Eldridge) The more you seek Him, the more you find yourself.
3. Changing of habits is not a posture of striving but of releasing – Let it go. Yes, that struggle you have…first step, let it go. Second step, Dig deeper to the root of your habit. He is there wanting to free you and heal you. Release it every day and know He has it.  Then embrace who you are, He has already.

Yes set goals, make better choices for yourself, your family, your future…but it won’t start in your workout, your mental toughness…it starts in your heart. And it’s not people who change…but it is God who changes people.

​                                                                            With Love,
                                                                                  Heather

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Graphic - Tylar Kidwell