Different

We sing a song in our church, that I love, called Different.  It says, I want to be different, I want to be changed until all of me is gone and all that remains is a fire so bright the whole world can see there’s something different, so come and be different in me. I was listening to this song on the way to work yesterday and a question came up in my Spirit, do we really want to be different? The word different means not the same as another, unlike in nature, form, or quality.  Most of us have comfort zones that we live in.  We may step to the edge of this zone but we rarely step outside of it and when we do we spend very little time there before returning to what is comfortable.

As Christians, we pray for God to change us and mold us into what he wants us to be but very few of us ever really allow him to do this.  We are okay with him changing us as long as we are comfortable with that change.  We are okay with his changes when he gives us a better paying job, a new car, or a better home but when it comes to internal changes we shut him out.  We say things like God knows that I can’t do that and we convince ourselves that we can’t do these things.  Everyone loves to quote Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, until it involves something we don’t want to do.  The Holy Spirit that lives in us cannot complete its work in us with a “can’t” mentality.  I believe our transformation as Christians is much more than just giving up the obvious sins in our lives.  It is about spiritual growth and giving the Holy Spirit full access to our hearts and minds.  We shut the Holy Spirit out of certain areas in our lives because we don’t want to deal with those things.  Maybe these things are past hurts in your life, things you have buried so deep and tried to forget. Maybe these are things that you don’t want to give up that you keep as your little secret and the Holy Spirit wants to get them out of your life.  By limiting the Holy Spirit you limit your growth in Christ.  You limit your ability to be different in him.

I pray today that each of us are willing to give the Holy Spirit full access to our hearts and minds.  I pray for courage to allow Him to break down those walls and barriers we have built in our hearts and minds, to keep those things hidden that prevent us from moving closer to God.  I pray today for strength for us to be different not only in the world but in the church.  I pray that we embrace the changes the Holy Spirit brings into our lives and that we get rid of the “can’t” mentality once and for all.  We can do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens us, we just have to be willing to be different to do it.

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