Writing a new story

Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end. (Seneca)

So don’t remember what happened in earlier times. Don’t think about what happened a long time ago, because I am doing something new! (Isaiah 43:18-19)

Does the past seem to disappoint you? Sometimes the pain from the past lingers well into the present, making it almost impossible for us to escape the disappointment we have experienced. Disappointment doesn't always come from an action of another - it frequently is linked to some action we have taken ourselves. If someone else has brought the disappointment, it is well past the time to forgive and move on. If you have caused that deep disappointment, it is time you confess it, relinquish it to God, and begin to move forward, don't you think?

God's plan has always been to keep us focused forward, not on what lies behind. He isn't doing the 'new thing' in the past, he is doing it in the present. Forward-focused individuals find it difficult to hold onto things that only clutter their memories and flood their emotions with unhealthy hormones. They desire to be free, and they take steps to live free. Those who want to remain rear facing will only find the disappointment growing deeper and the anguish of emotional attachment to that disappointment growing, as well. No one should live bound to the past - it is history (HIS Story) - let him deal with it and rewrite the pages of your life as he sees you NOW.

Some other beginning's end - there is always an end, but sometimes it means we have to let go of the thing that has ended in order to be embraced by the new that has come. It is only as we let go that we are free to be embraced fully. Try being embraced by someone when your arms are full of a pile of linens. Can they fully embrace you? Not really. Can you return the embrace? Nope. So, in order to be fully embraced, you have to let go of what you are carrying. The disappointment of yesterday has absolutely no place in the new thing God is doing in your life today. It happened - it is over - now it is time to move on. Just sayin!

Life Hack #21 - Remodeling Needed

Life Hack #21:

A house is built by wisdom and becomes strong through good sense. Through knowledge its rooms are filled with all sorts of precious riches and valuables. (Proverbs 24:3-4)

Houses are nothing without those who live within the walls of those dwellings. They create the "culture" of the home - giving a unique atmosphere to the home environment. The one who dwells within the walls of the house has a special way of making that house their own - by decorating it as they like, opening it to visitors, and often creating a family within those walls. Now, think about that a little differently - your body as a house of sorts. Your body houses the Spirit of God and as such, the atmosphere of your life changes, does it not? The one who "dwells within" the house makes a difference in the "culture" or atmosphere of the "house" we call our inner man.

Change begins the moment the Spirit of God "indwells" us. The one who takes up "residence" within begins to affect the condition of the inner man "house". He sets about to begin the subtle "redesign" of our inner man by first bringing order to the inner workings of our lives. This happens when he begins to settle our emotions, sort out our mind's constant musings, and then reorder our choices. He becomes integral to the "culture" of our inner being. We begin to see the effects of his "touch" by the evidence of these changes. What once was pretty beat up and worn out begins to take on new life and fresh purpose.

God's Spirit brings into our lives much wisdom - helping us to take knowledge we receive and turning it into knowledge we put into repeated and reliable practice in our lives. He helps us to think differently about the "space" of our lives. He begins to fill in the gaps which exist, unclutter the places which are too full of stuff which doesn't matter, and to rearrange things so we develop a sense of ease with who we are as individuals - loved and cherished by God himself. 

As a result of the work within, there becomes evidence of "remodeling" which spills over into our outside manner. Just as a homeowner may begin on the inside to make their "space" their own, they will also begin to focus on making the outside have a little "curb" appeal. Why? They want the work done on the inside to begin to be reflected to those who can only see someone "new" has taken up residence on the inside. The culture of a family begins with the individual. The one who is wise will invite the work of the Spirit of God into their lives because they recognize the importance of creating the right "culture" within before they try to work the "culture" into the whole. 

As the one life is affected, the spill-over effect begins to occur in the lives of those who also dwell within the home. God doesn't just clean us up to make us "clean", but to begin to affect the "atmosphere" of those around us. As life change occurs, life choices change and this very change in focus or intent has a way of affecting the atmosphere of others. If we want our lives to be set in order and to reflect a different culture, or atmosphere, we just need to begin by inviting Jesus to become the most important "resident" in our inner "home". Just sayin!