God's got whatever you need

Do you have habits and certain ways of doing certain things? You're used to getting your coffee made in the morning in a specific way, or you drive home using a certain route no matter what? Maybe it's less conscious, and you just find yourself doing things the same old way because it's what came naturally to you and it's more comfortable to do it your way. You've got a tried and true method of accomplishing tasks in your life and you aren't going to change it.

God may be asking you to change something that you don't want to change, something that isn't easy for you to change. It could be the way you dress or the words you use. It could be a habit that's hurting you or others around you. It could be more about how you think when you are in certain types of situations. Fill in the blank. God's got His own way of cleaning each of us up. He may not have the same list for me as He does for you and our lists may not be in the same order. He's not inviting you to add to someone else's list or catalog another person's flaws. God will start making you of aware of things you are doing your way and that He has a better way.

God tells us that He's given us everything we need to succeed in life. He's got his own path home and his own way to make coffee. He provides us the tools we need to form new habits in Him and through Him. It may be a difficult transition and you may have been putting it off for a long time. In His grace and mercy, he's given us everything we need in life.

First, He's given us the Bible. It's the only book we need for understanding how we are to act towards each others and towards God. Don't forget this important passage in 2 Timothy 3:16-17:

3:16 Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 3:17 that the person dedicated to God may be capable and equipped for every good work.

He's given us His Spirit, and because of the power of the Spirit of God in you, you are more than a conqueror over the garbage in your head. Read Romans 8:5-11:

8:5 For those who live according to the flesh have their outlook shaped by the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit have their outlook shaped by the things of the Spirit. 8:6 For the outlook of the flesh is death, but the outlook of the Spirit is life and peace, 8:7 because the outlook of the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to the law of God, nor is it able to do so. 8:8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 8:9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, this person does not belong to him. 8:10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is your life because of righteousness. 8:11 Moreover if the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will also make your mortal bodies alive through his Spirit who lives in you.

He's also given us the open invitation to speak to Him. Prayer is an essential practice that we all need to develop if we want to begin to submit to God and allow Him to reshape our habits. He's never far, He's always ready to hear from you and rush in to help you. Read Psalm 145:18-19:

145:18 The Lord is near all who cry out to him,
all who cry out to him sincerely.
145:19 He satisfies the desire of his loyal followers;
he hears their cry for help and delivers them.

I don't know what God wants to change in you. I do know a few things He's got on the list for me, though. That's the way God wants it. He's got a personal relationship with me and He wants me to sincerely allow Him to mold me into the image of His Son. He wants my attitude to be one of submission to Him and not hostility. Pray for me that I'll submit to Him as He asks me to change things I don't want to change or make uncomfortable adjustments to my routine. Pray that we'll each be ready to get honest and serious with God about living our lives His way with His tools.