March 25, 2019
The New You is Still Possible
Elisa Pulliam
Today’s Truth
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:23-24, NIV).
Friend to Friend
Have you ever noticed how often we make such great plans, but then life gets in the way?
We start off determined to lose weight, get fit, overcome our character flaws, take new career risks, invest deeper in relationships, and get organized. But before we make enough strides for our vision to become our normal, we’re hit with reality.
We get sick.
Something breaks.
We run out of steam.
Hello, normal. Goodbye, vision.
So what should we do when our great big plans fizzle into little failures?
Well, it might sound cliché, but it’s at that very moment we need to not give up! Instead, we need to wipe our brow from the feeling of defeat and get our mind back into gear.
The change we crave begins with our thought life, because that is what dictates our actions.
If we live by what we feel, we’ll give in to our weaknesses and the onslaught of temptations, especially when we’re feeling emotionally or physically weary. But if we choose to take captive our thoughts (2 Corinthians 10:5) and line them up with the truth (Romans 12:2), we position ourselves to make a choice that is in line with God’s best for our lives.
So, rather than grabbing that half-pint of peanut-butter fudge ice cream and curling up on the couch, grab your Bible and journal and get your thoughts out on paper before God to pinpoint the lies the enemy is sowing into your thinking. Tell God what you’re feeling. Tell Him what was going on in your mind when you made that choice you regret. Tell Him what you want to see change. And then, sit there for a bit and ask the Lord to speak to you. Ask Him to lead you deep into His Word, His truth, His heart. Invite Him in the intensity of your defeat to show you the path to victory.
With that new vision from the Lord, move forward one baby step at a time.
Change is possible for YOU over the long haul.
It's a series of overnights strung together, not just one week or one month that matters. It took years to see His love-saturated truth change me from me an angry woman to one that no longer loses her cool. It took years of submitting to God’s ways to see my marriage transform from strife to joy. It took decades of just thinking about my health before God led me in the path of breaking me free from a sugar addiction.
So instead of giving up, move deeper into your devotion to God by steeper yourself more in the Word.
Nothing happens overnight. So don't give up, sister. Change is possible.
Let’s Pray
Dear Lord, forgive me for giving in to temptation and all too easily believing the enemy’s lies. Help me pay attention to my thought life so that I may live according to the truth. Show me how my weaknesses are simply an invitation for You to work in a greater way. Make me brave and bold in the pursuit of living out Your best by the power of the Holy Spirit at work in me.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
How is your thought life impacting your actions? What would it look like for every thought to line up with the Truth?
More from the Girlfriends
Elisa Pulliam is a coach, author, podcaster, and speaker passionate about helping women savor life every day and cultivate a meaningful legacy. She is the founder of More to Be, a ministry devoted to helping women experience a fresh encounter with God and His Word so they may live transformed and impact this world with kingdom hope. She is the author of Meet the New You, in which she shares her transformation journey with practical steps to help you move towards God’s best for your life. Elisa is also the founder of It Is Well, where she helps women simplify the transition into wellness by cultivating a whole food and toxin-free lifestyle for themselves and their families. She is enjoying the adventure of being married to Stephen for 22 years and raising their brood of teenagers together. Connect with Elisa at MoretoBe.com and ItIsWell.us.
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Originally published Monday, 25 March 2019.
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