Manage the Change You Hope to See in The World

Does your self-image match God’s image of you? To change something is to transform what it is today into something different. Change happens whether we want it to or not. Consequently, we are confronted with this brutal fact: we must manage change or be governed by change. To manage is to achieve desired results–to succeed in accomplishing our goals–despite difficulty or hardship. We must be the change we hope to see in our relationships, contribution, and spirit.

In other words, we must adapt. We must be willing to confront reality while remaining confident that with cooperation and teamwork, out of differences, optimal and mutually beneficial change will be achieved. During this process, we focus on improving ourselves, controlling our behaviors and leading by example in the hope that we will be a positive influence for others.

Transformation Process to Achieve Our New Image

Change Begins and Ends With Attitude

Recall that change management begins with our attitude; how we view ourselves and the world. Next, our attitude influences whether or not we invest the time necessary to think and create plans which define the steps required to achieve a new reality. Our plan, in turn, determines what we do while our attitude again governs how we do it. The what and how then determines our results—what we get. Thus, lasting change begins with our modified attitude: the way we see ourselves and the world. So, the next step down the road toward a ‘new you’ is to create a vision of who you desire to become. Even better, perhaps we should seek to understand who God wants us to be and what His vision is for us! God has a plan for us; we need to explore, listen, and then act.

Consequently, the next step down the road toward a ‘new you’ is to create a vision of who you desire to become. Even better, perhaps we should seek to understand who God wants us to be and what His vision is for us! God has a plan for us; we need to explore, listen, and then act.

God’s Guidance For Managing Change

Created for Balanced Action

So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. James 2: 17 (NLT)

Being of good spirit is not enough. Having great relationships is not enough. Simply hearing your calling is not enough. We are called to act. We must balance our knowledge, skill, faith, love, and our compassion with action. Pastor Rick Warren began his book The Purpose Driven Life with the decidedly simple statement, “It’s not about you.” He continues to explain that we are each put here on earth to achieve a higher purpose than our own self-centered satisfaction. He proposes five higher purposes. We are all (1) planned for God’s pleasure, (2) formed to be part of God’s family, (3) created to become like Christ, (4) shaped for serving God, and (5) made for a mission. These five purposes align with the three dimensions of our lives we seek to balance.

A Purpose Driven, Balanced Life

God’s Image of Us

We Are Loved And Commanded to Love

Is it reasonable for us to expect others to love us if we do not love ourselves?

Jesus teaches us the greatest commands:

“…Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’…And…  ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12: 29-31 (NIV)

Further, He instructs:

• Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:1-2 (NIV)
• Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her… Ephesians 5:25 (NIV)
• In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. Ephesians 5:28 (NIV)

Indeed, we are instructed to walk in love as Christ loved. Love our neighbors and our wives as we do ourselves; love our wives as Christ loved the church.

Therefore, we must love ourselves, our wives, and our neighbors as Christ loved the church, and love the Lord our God above all else.

Love More…or Love Better?

I hope it is becoming clear: our goal is to love others and ourselves as Christ loves. Unfortunately, we often love ourselves, and perhaps others, inappropriately. We love ourselves pridefully, expecting others to meet our standards because of greed and low self-esteem. Sadly, when we serve, we serve hoping to be applauded or to receive some other coveted benefit.

In today’s world, we are told we should love ourselves more. Perhaps, in reality, we need to learn to love ourselves appropriately, rather than more. To succeed in this endeavor, we must:

1. First, build a vision of what it means to love ourselves and others ‘just as Christ loves us, just as he loved the Church and gave himself up for [us and] her!’
2. Next, determine the gaps between where we are today and where we want to be (love others and ourselves as Christ loved) and then take appropriate action to, one by one, break down the barriers and fill in the gaps.

We Are Commanded to Respect and Serve

Is it reasonable for us to expect others to respect us if we do not love and respect ourselves?

With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity. Proverbs 8:18 (NIV)

 

“…Honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 19:19 (NIV)

 

Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him. “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. John 5:22-24 (NIV)

Self-Esteem

I was recently blessed to meet Pastor Gary Dicklich who shared how his life changed dramatically and for the better! For much of his life, Gary struggled with low self-esteem; even after coming to Christ. “Most of my life I had suffered from low self-esteem…Five years after I received Christ as my Lord and Savior, I still had this negative view of myself. This is what happened to set me free. I was home alone, and the Lord said to me, ‘Here is who you have always been to Me: Chosen, Loved, Cleansed, Gifted, [and] Trusted.”

As long as you are serving others, you do the job well

Gary knew our Lord could not (and would not) lie; so, he accepted God’s image of him and committed to being that man from that point forward. Miraculously, all Gary’s struggles with low self-esteem evaporated. God removed an enormous burden from Gary’s heart, and this same gift is available to you and me.

Gary concluded, “Once a person [adopts] God’s image in his heart, he will not be concerned with what anyone else thinks of him. Jesus came to serve; not to be served. In Romans 8:29 we are told that for all those who God foreknew He predestined they be conformed to the image of His Son. God wants us to serve one another starting with our wives and give all the glory to our Lord Jesus!”

We Are Freed and Forgiven

When we realize how much God loves us, we are freed to grow into his vision of us. God knows our hearts, “He said to them, ‘You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.” Luke 16:15 God forgives us when we shed our prideful and contemptuous attitudes and humbly request His grace with and open hearts; next, He expects that we extend this grace to others. “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” Matthew 6:12 NKJV

God’s vision for us:

We are chosen & accepted by God

He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted… Ephesians 1: 4-6 (NKJV)

God loves us

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16 (NKJV)

We are cleansed and forgiven by God

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” Matthew 26:26-28 (NIV)

In him, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. Ephesians 1:7 (NIV)

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 (NKJV)

Do not judge, or you too will be judged. Matthew 7:1 (NIV)

God gifts us

There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. 1 Corinthians 12: 4-11 (NKJV)

We are trusted and empowered by God

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10 (NKJV)

Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19 (NKJV)

Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. Matthew 5:9 (NKJV)

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:10-18 (NIV)

Synergy In God’s Message

Thanks again to Pastor Gary Dicklich for sharing God’s powerful message and allowing me to merge it with the concepts the Holy Spirit shared with me as I wrote VerAegis. As this message is freeing us from our worldly ways, we hope it will provide you the necessary impetus to free you as well.

A real man or woman is someone who values relationships [is chosen and accepted, loves and is loved]; accepts responsibility [to use God-given gifts]; rejects passivity [and worldly ways]; [is trusted and empowered to] contribute and lead courageously with consideration, passion, and integrity; and believes in grace and mercy [forgives and is forgiven—cleansed].

We Are Not Alone

Trials and Tribulations

We will always encounter temptations. Anxiousness, loneliness, hunger, hurry, haste, and exhaustion will press upon us to respond poorly to feelings of anger.  We will face trials and tribulations, but we need not face them alone. God is with us, and we are part of his family.

For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them. Matthew 18:20 (NKJV)

As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend. Proverbs 27:17 (NKJV)

Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:12m (NIV)

At times, we will be confused about what we are meant to do, and perhaps how we should act and react. Like Saul (later known as Paul) and the prodigal son, we may embark down the wrong path. Like the prodigal son’s older brother and Saul’s companions on the road to Damascus, pride and the ways of humans may blind us to the true path that is laid before us.

His Strength Shines Through Our Weakness

Take heart: God will carry us when we are weak. With Him all things are possible. If we listen with open hearts, we can each hear our calling and be of service to others, and God will be with us in all that we do. He will lend his divine strengths to fortify our weaknesses. God will provide the power to be humble, to love others as we love ourselves, to love ourselves as Christ loved the church, and to practice empathy. He will grant us the will to accept our responsibility to choose our response to emotions rather than be controlled by them. We are called to invoke God’s anger and reject human anger. To do so, we must continually sharpen our saws. We must continually strive to become more Christ-like in attitude and behavior.

Adapted From

VerAegis-Relationships: Live beyond Your Comfort Zone (The Legacy Series Book 1) (pp. 112-113; 128-129). Kindle Edition.

VerAegis-Contribution: Live beyond Your Comfort Zone (The Legacy Series Book 2) (p. 32). Kindle Edition.

VerAegis-Spirit: Live beyond Your Comfort Zone (The Legacy Series Book 3) (p. 25, 176 & 248). Kindle Edition.

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