Change

Change: A) to make difference B) to make a radical difference. C) to give a different position, course, or direction, or D) to replace with another. Now I have a question, have you changed, do any of these definitions apply to you, or are you the same person you were when you where in your youth? Some people have said to me, I have changed but in reality they have not changed, they have grown up. They still have some of the same feelings they have always dealt with or felt. The only difference is that now they are in a place where if they do those things they will pay a heaver consequence for their actions.


For me, growing up in small town America, it was easy to get in trouble but hard to keep people from finding out about it. To be honest, as a young kid I really didn't care who knew but there was something in me that would try to hide every time my mother or father yelled "Richard"! Before I knew it I felt like there were people all over town saying that boy is...whatever. It wasn't until I moved from that small town did I realize I can't be acting this way and doing all the stuff in a small town that I was doing in my new town. Why is that? Because sooner or later we must grow up but that does not mean we have changed. We need to act different to get to where we need to be.


I remember my mother telling me that she would let me live with her but her requirement was that I had to go to church. Why? I did not understand at the time but God was ready for me to change my direction, change from the kid inside and grow up. It took some time but eventually I said okay I will change. Bam! I got changed, I got saved, got a job, met my beautiful wife, bought a house, had kids. Wow, did I change... so I thought. It seemed on the outside I changed but the truth was no one knew who I was-not my wife, my parents, not even myself.


It seemed to me that I was holding on to the past. Women, drinking, and being in charge of myself. I had no idea that I was not in control. I was out of control heading down a lonely road all because I refused to change. You will need to look at some of the other posts to see where loneliness and not wanting change in your life will take you.


It took going through hell before I was ready to change, ready to see a difference in my life, and ready to make a difference in my life, for me to be REAL (I have seen that word before). Is being real a change? It was for me. I had to put away all of my selfish needs and thoughts and turn them over to God. I had to do something that I have never done, let God in, let my wife in, and all the people that wanted to come in and help me change in.


There will come a day when you will say I sure would like to change or someone might say behind you I sure wish he or she would change. Either way, if you thought it, or if someone else did, you must have something in your life that needs change and only God can do that.


First you will need to confess out loud. Father(God), I need to change and I can't do it by myself I need you to come in and change me. I need to make you first in my life. I need you to save me. I believe in you. I believe you died on the cross for me and my sins. If you mean that prayer, watch out because change will come.


If you will accept the change and are looking forward to a new you, the change will be on going for the rest of your life.