One of the abilities that God helps us realize as human being is that we have the ability to re-invent ourselves. So we don't have to stay where we find ourselves. We can re-invent ourselves, turn over a new leaf, and become a different sort of person.
Sometimes the greatest obstacle to becoming re-invented is the people who knew us before. They tend to put us back in the same old rut of expectations and be stubborn about removing old labels even if they no longer fit. This is error on their part, but it also brings to light another important key in re-invention.
We must also learn to SPEAK our change into existence. So that we verbally tell others "I was that, but I am not that anymore. Jesus is changing me". Even when we fall down, and others say "See, I knew you were the same". We must re-iterate again and again to them and to ourselves "No, I may not be altogether yet what I am going to be, but I am not what I was before! I am still under construction, so please excuse my mess while I am being re-invented". Paul put it like this "I count not myself to have apprehended that for which I am apprehended, but one thing I do, forgetting those things that are behind, I press towards the mark".
Too often I am personally silent about the changes that are taking place inwardly. I prefer for others to notice and then I feel offended or disappointed when they don't. I have also for years thought others ought to read my mind or somehow know my motive and to answer Dr. Phil's question "that has not worked well for me at all". I refuse any longer to let others keep dead labels on me. Stop saying that about me. That dress stopped fitting a long time ago! Get over it already.
God causes us to realize that we don't have to stay where we find ourselves and we certainly do not have to live where people keep sending our mail.
Debbie Hoffman Benfield
No comments:
Post a Comment