I can't 'change' myself!!

I wrote in my previous blog that we all wish to be changed at some point. We keep looking at others thinking that if only we are like them; how nice that would be! What I have learnt in my life is that I can't change myself. I just can't give up something which I hold very dear to myself; in most cases it is 'sinfulness'. I say to myself that what profit is there if I give up on this ? Am I going to be happy if I give 'it' up? The Gospel promises that we are going to be very happy if only we trust God not by giving up 'sin'!! How easy!! When we trust God; He enables us to give 'sin' up for the sake of being holy as He is holy. It is interesting that God doesn't allow us to trust in Him with out giving up on 'sin'. He gives us hope and strength to leave 'sin' away but it is not the first step we must take when we come to Christ. We must come to Him as we are.

How the above said is connected with the subject 'change'? Well, the fact is there are not many people who would like to change their lives. They are pretty much happy with the way they are. In other words they haven't got bored with their lifestyles. The reason for this is 'sin'. And 'sin' is the most exciting and adventurous phenomena in the world. So to change ourselves by giving up 'sin' is going to be very tough and look very foolish from world's point of view. Though there aren't many who wish to be changed; there are a few; who are fed up with their sinful lives; who think they are exhausted; who think their lives are not worthy to be continued; who think they cannot get over their past; who think they have done irreparable damage to themselves and also to others....It is those people who will a see a pair of hands 'welcoming' them not to an earthly kingdom but to a heavenly one for it is Jesus who said 'come unto me, all ye heavy laiden, I will give thee rest' (Mat 11:28).

So are trying to to change yourself? I promise you cannot. Though you might argue with me by saying 'Impossible is nothing';but the reality remains the same as we remain unchanged. It is not superficial change we are talking about; it has got be a 'complete' change which includes all dimensions in human body and soul. It only happens when we come to Christ as we are and ask for 'forgiveness'.

Have you ever felt the need to be 'changed'?

'Change' is something we all have to welcome at some point in our lives whether
we like it or not. Even the older people,nowadays, are adapting themselves to modern ways and to all the technological advancement. It is not a matter of being fashionable but it is a need now; otherwise; how can folk keep in touch with their people on the other side of the globe except via Internet? I think I have just slipped aside from the point I would like to write a bit elaborately; instead of telling you about the need to be changed; I was all in praise for the 'Modern Technology'.

How often I felt like saying to myself 'if only I am like that faithful pastor who serves Christ in that remote village..'. We often tend to look at people and compare ourselves with their personality, attitude, accomplishments, credentials...and we are over the moon when we think we outran them and suddenly we are gloomy and deeply dejected because we think that they outran us. It all depends how we look at things. I believe both the things are bad. As Dr Peter Masters says " we swing like a pendulum swings to one extreme or the other". It is very important to get things right and to put the things in the right perspective; we need to have a balanced mind. The thing is, even though it is not always good to compare ourselves with others; we can compare ourselves with others in spiritual matters. Even the Apostle Paul encourages his fellow believers to be like him or to imitate him as he imitates Christ.

We get bored when we keep doing things we always do. That's why we shout, at some point, 'give me a break buddy!!'; we tend to unwind ourselves as we driver along, or by listening to some music or by doing some 'excercise'..but the reality is that we bump into 'boredom' once again and alas even the 'remedy' for 'boredom' becomes 'boring' as well. This is all a part of trying very hard to 'change' ourselves. But can we change ourselves? Does it happen to us? Or is it just a distant mirage which never appears to be true? I hope to discuss this with those who have some serious intentions to experience 'change' in their lives in my next post.