Are They Ever Going To Change?

How many times do we wish people would change or circumstances would change? We often remark how we don’t understand how people act how they do or why bad things continue to happen to us. We see others who don’t do what they are supposed to do and continue to get ahead while we are trying to do the right thing and continue to struggle.

We see people who continually repeat a bad habit. We see people who are boastful and proud. We see people who speak angrily to others all the time. We see people who talk about others behind their backs. We see people who are always feeling sorry for themselves. We see people who are not dependable, unorganized and lazy. If we were really honest with ourselves, we could say that we have wondered if they were really ever going to change.

There are people right now who we avoid or get upset with because we don’t like the way they act or the things they say. It may be their beliefs are not the same as ours. It may be their attitudes differ from ours. It may be their entire lifestyle is not what we approve of. Whatever the reason, we are thinking if they were different, then we would like them and want to help them.

James 4:11 “Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you.”

If we really want to change another person’s attitude , we have to make a change in our attitudes first. If we want a change to occur in our situation at work, at school or at home, we need to make a change first. If we want our finances, our health, our relationships to change, we can’t continue to look at what people can give us or dwell on what they are doing or not doing. We need to see what changes we need to make.

We need to make a change in our minds. Our thoughts do control what we do and say. When we examine our thoughts and ask God what thoughts need to be removed from our minds, He will create a change in us. We shouldn’t worry about how but only focus on and trust in God. Then when we are tempted to think things which are not pleasing to Him, He will help us to turn our minds away from those thoughts.

Romans 12:2 “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

We need to make a change in our hearts. We need to examine how we really feel about others. We need to look at why it is hard to love certain people and so easy to love others. We need to ask God to help us love others as He loves them. We need to see them as He sees them. We need to look past what we believe are their faults and issues and love them as a child of God.

Proverbs 4:23 “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”

We need to make a change in our words. When we fill our minds and hearts with God’s word, our words will change. The things that come out of our mouth which were judging before will be loving and kind. We will begin to say things that are pleasing to God and if the words we say are pleasing to God, they will be helpful and encouraging to others.

Proverbs 15:28 “The heart of the godly thinks carefully before speaking; the mouth of the wicked overflows with evil words.“

We need to make a change in our actions. Many times we do things without thinking. We may be doing something toward another person that makes them act the way they do towards us. For example, if our talk is one way and the things that we do contradict what we say we believe, how can we really point the blame at others who we say need to make a change in their lives?

Luke 6:42 “How can you think of saying, ‘Friend, let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.”

Change begins with us. It begins in our minds, hearts, words and actions. We can only control ourselves and changing how we think and feel will help us to better understand others. Putting God first in all areas of our lives and being open to Him to make a change will help us to become closer to Him. Making a change in us will move us closer to God and will take the focus off of us trying to change others.

Before we think other people need to change, we really need to examine our own lives. We need to search our minds, our hearts, our words, our actions and look daily at what we are doing that is not pleasing God and ask Him to move us to do the things that please Him. When we are willing to make a change in our own lives, God can make a difference in the lives of others.

Galatians 6:9 “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.”