How Will I Choose to Live the Life That’s Ahead of Me?

We have all heard the saying, “Life is what you make it!” It is usually at the approach of a new year or a birthday or some landmark life event when we turn our focus inward. We think about changes we would like to make. Normally, these changes are aimed at finding a greater measure of happiness, health or fulfillment in our daily lives. So, what should we decide needs changing? Even more importantly, how will we decide to implement those changes? On the surface this may sound easy, but for the vast majority of us, it is not. Life tends to get in the way, along with old habits and second thoughts. Then there is our old friend, our comfort zone! Why would we want to leave that, as it is so, well…comfortable? What can we learn from the Scriptures to help us actually implement God-honoring life changes? WHY? The first big question to ask about making life changes is why. Why do I think I want to take this or that part of my life and alter it to fit some other mold or objective? What do I see as the real benefit? Answering this question honestly will give us insight as to what level of value the proposed changes truly hold for our future. Think about it. As a professed Christian, our whole lives are supposed to be about serving God, about doing His will. If the changes I seek are primarily focused on me and not Christlikeness, then what am I really pursuing? Is it what I look like or what I really am? There’s a big difference between trying to make myself look better compared to others and trying to live up to my calling in Christ. Obviously, one way brings me into the center of everyone’s thinking and perception. Do I want to be more acceptable, more respected or more admired in relation to those around me? Or do I want others to more fully notice Christ in me? While this may seem like an odd way to look at making significant life changes, it certainly is a credible approach. Even if the life changes we seek are focused on our physical wellbeing or rethinking old habits, our motivation should always gravitate toward letting Christ shine through us. Ok, so we may need to do some rethinking when it comes to our motivation. As we work on this reexamination, we also need to consider our comfort zones of old habits. Wait a minute – does changing for the sake of Christ mean that all of my comfort zones are now obsolete? Check out our December 30, 2024 podcast, “How Will I Choose to Live the Life That is Ahead of Me?” for answers. We look at the dynamics of making life changes as well as how to leave old comfort zones and find new ones. All of this brings us to being positioned to make truly valuable God-honoring life changes. Walk this path with us; it is well worth the effort!