For two years I worked in an office with no warm water. Washing your hands in the middle of winter - when your whole body is cold - can be quite a challenge. (Imagine no central heating and temperatures in the fourties inside.) Wash them to kill germs and stay healthy when everyone's already got the sniffles, or don't wash them to try and stay warm?
But then the business relocated to new premises. Now we had hot water taps that actually worked! And what's more, we relocated in the middle of winter! Yes! to washing hands.
After about a month there it dawned on me: I was still reaching only for the cold water tap. I had become so used to washing my freezing hands in freezing water that, even now that I had hot water at my disposal, it didn't even cross my mind to use it, to enjoy it. I might as well have not had it at all.
Being adaptable is a miracle of how God created us, but if we are not careful, we can become so used to the wrong things - or inferior things - that, even if the rivers of milk and honey flowed right under our nose, we wouldn't even notice (let alone actually enjoy it).
God promises us so many wonderful things in His Word - an inheritance for every child of God. The promises of God is not only intended for one day when we get to heaven. We can have peace, real joy, healing, deliverance, healthy relationships, abundance, favor, etc. right here, right now while we're still on earth.
God says that He wants to bless us and make us a blessing. If you have nothing (or barely enough to meet your own need) what would you have to give away? How would you be a blessing that would bring God glory? This is not about greed or a desire for position, power or bragging rights to your friends to satisfy a low self esteem. God's blessings is also a testimony to who He is - it is an expression of His love and kindness. "For God so loved that He gave..."
Maybe a life of lack and abuse is most of what you've known. Maybe so much so that you couldn't recognize a good thing if it bit you in the bottom. But then God says, "don't be like the world but be transformed by the daily renewal of your mind." Whatever you've become use to, I want you to know that you. can. get. used. to. something. better!!
Now, every time I go to the bathroom I force myself to open the hot water tap. Now my hands are warmer when I come out of the bathroom than when I first went in. And every time I wonder to myself: what else had I become used to that needs to change?
What about you? What have you become used to? Do you even believe that God wants to bless you with good things or have you been subject to hardship so long you've lost all hope it can or will ever change? I want to tell you today that your future - God's idea for your future - looks nothing like your past!
The question is: Are you ready - and willing - to get used to something new?
But then the business relocated to new premises. Now we had hot water taps that actually worked! And what's more, we relocated in the middle of winter! Yes! to washing hands.
After about a month there it dawned on me: I was still reaching only for the cold water tap. I had become so used to washing my freezing hands in freezing water that, even now that I had hot water at my disposal, it didn't even cross my mind to use it, to enjoy it. I might as well have not had it at all.
Being adaptable is a miracle of how God created us, but if we are not careful, we can become so used to the wrong things - or inferior things - that, even if the rivers of milk and honey flowed right under our nose, we wouldn't even notice (let alone actually enjoy it).
God promises us so many wonderful things in His Word - an inheritance for every child of God. The promises of God is not only intended for one day when we get to heaven. We can have peace, real joy, healing, deliverance, healthy relationships, abundance, favor, etc. right here, right now while we're still on earth.
God says that He wants to bless us and make us a blessing. If you have nothing (or barely enough to meet your own need) what would you have to give away? How would you be a blessing that would bring God glory? This is not about greed or a desire for position, power or bragging rights to your friends to satisfy a low self esteem. God's blessings is also a testimony to who He is - it is an expression of His love and kindness. "For God so loved that He gave..."
Maybe a life of lack and abuse is most of what you've known. Maybe so much so that you couldn't recognize a good thing if it bit you in the bottom. But then God says, "don't be like the world but be transformed by the daily renewal of your mind." Whatever you've become use to, I want you to know that you. can. get. used. to. something. better!!
Now, every time I go to the bathroom I force myself to open the hot water tap. Now my hands are warmer when I come out of the bathroom than when I first went in. And every time I wonder to myself: what else had I become used to that needs to change?
What about you? What have you become used to? Do you even believe that God wants to bless you with good things or have you been subject to hardship so long you've lost all hope it can or will ever change? I want to tell you today that your future - God's idea for your future - looks nothing like your past!
The question is: Are you ready - and willing - to get used to something new?
RSS Feed
