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CHANGE IS A CHOICE by Thea Rashad
Jesus said to the man at the pool, “Do you want to be well?”* Surely, the Holy
Father could have showed up at Bethesda and whipped up a mighty miracle
without the consent of the ailing man. He’d been sick for 38 years, continuously
returning to the water many thought had healing powers. But, his deliverance had
not yet arrived. Why? Simply put, he was in his own way. There were wings on his
back, but he would not fly.
Change is a choice. Some will heed the gentle nudge to go in a new direction,
listening to the advice of a loved one or that still small voice. Yet others cling to
the links in the worst chain of them all: fear, the familiar and falsity.
The man at the pool had lost the fight. From his poolside view, his chains were
just too heavy. Before he could dip a toe in the water, he was pushed aside by
people more eager to be well. He lingered at the water day after day to no avail.
Other people prospered while life passed him by. That is, until the day Jesus said,
“Pick you your mat and stand up!” He did exactly as he was told. That was the
day a new man emerged.
Change requires courage, an act of faith in the face of fear. It also demands
obedience without question or hesitation. And a little tunnel vision helps along the
way. There’s no time to doubt the destination because of worry over how to get
there. Program the navigational system to G-O-D and move! This isn’t easy. And
for some, there is a real disconnect between the desire to change and the ability
to choose to change. During the journey, the way back home seems irresistible,
familiar and comfortable. The road to conscious change, however, is often paved
with dread, the unfamiliar and discomfort.
But, Jesus reminds the man at the pool that poor choices result in poor
consequences. He warned, ”See you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a
worse thing come upon you.” From finance to romance, there are all types of
bondage. Some give lip service to the act of change. Some are more willing to
break promises to others—and even themselves—rather than follow through.
They are willing to sample the fruit of the Spirit, but it won’t stop them from
tasting the bitterness of the Garden’s forbidden apples. If the definition of
insanity is repetitive behavior with the expectation of a different outcome, then
praying for a better life while making the same destructive choices is what?
The good news is: it’s NEVER too late. The man at the pool was trapped by his
own denial for decades. But, the supernatural power of the Lord has no
expiration date and it does not follow the rules of man. Jesus healed the afflicted
man on a day that was considered unlawful to perform any acts of work. He went
against the grain, a common characteristic of change. That drew the ire of local
leaders. The afflicted man quickly learned that when change is in motion, it
unleashes critics, fearing their own demise.
There is power in change and that scares some people. Instead of fear there
should be joy! A grateful heart should rejoice knowing the chance to change is
not like a fairgoer’s ticket—stamped once and non-refundable. God doesn’t work
like that. He is in the business of life makeovers. Jesus makes a promise to the
man and all believers willing to make a change in their lives. He said, “My Father
never stops working, and so I will keep working.” Surely, the Lord is always at
work. If He is not willing to give up, neither should you. Pick up your mat and
stand up! Choose change.
*John 5:1-18 NKJV
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Jesus said to the man at the pool, “Do you want to be well?”* Surely, the Holy
Father could have showed up at Bethesda and whipped up a mighty miracle
without the consent of the ailing man. He’d been sick for 38 years, continuously
returning to the water many thought had healing powers. But, his deliverance had
not yet arrived. Why? Simply put, he was in his own way. There were wings on his
back, but he would not fly.
Change is a choice. Some will heed the gentle nudge to go in a new direction,
listening to the advice of a loved one or that still small voice. Yet others cling to
the links in the worst chain of them all: fear, the familiar and falsity.
The man at the pool had lost the fight. From his poolside view, his chains were
just too heavy. Before he could dip a toe in the water, he was pushed aside by
people more eager to be well. He lingered at the water day after day to no avail.
Other people prospered while life passed him by. That is, until the day Jesus said,
“Pick you your mat and stand up!” He did exactly as he was told. That was the
day a new man emerged.
Change requires courage, an act of faith in the face of fear. It also demands
obedience without question or hesitation. And a little tunnel vision helps along the
way. There’s no time to doubt the destination because of worry over how to get
there. Program the navigational system to G-O-D and move! This isn’t easy. And
for some, there is a real disconnect between the desire to change and the ability
to choose to change. During the journey, the way back home seems irresistible,
familiar and comfortable. The road to conscious change, however, is often paved
with dread, the unfamiliar and discomfort.
But, Jesus reminds the man at the pool that poor choices result in poor
consequences. He warned, ”See you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a
worse thing come upon you.” From finance to romance, there are all types of
bondage. Some give lip service to the act of change. Some are more willing to
break promises to others—and even themselves—rather than follow through.
They are willing to sample the fruit of the Spirit, but it won’t stop them from
tasting the bitterness of the Garden’s forbidden apples. If the definition of
insanity is repetitive behavior with the expectation of a different outcome, then
praying for a better life while making the same destructive choices is what?
The good news is: it’s NEVER too late. The man at the pool was trapped by his
own denial for decades. But, the supernatural power of the Lord has no
expiration date and it does not follow the rules of man. Jesus healed the afflicted
man on a day that was considered unlawful to perform any acts of work. He went
against the grain, a common characteristic of change. That drew the ire of local
leaders. The afflicted man quickly learned that when change is in motion, it
unleashes critics, fearing their own demise.
There is power in change and that scares some people. Instead of fear there
should be joy! A grateful heart should rejoice knowing the chance to change is
not like a fairgoer’s ticket—stamped once and non-refundable. God doesn’t work
like that. He is in the business of life makeovers. Jesus makes a promise to the
man and all believers willing to make a change in their lives. He said, “My Father
never stops working, and so I will keep working.” Surely, the Lord is always at
work. If He is not willing to give up, neither should you. Pick up your mat and
stand up! Choose change.
*John 5:1-18 NKJV
COMMENTS? Click on Contact Us and submit your feedback. We'll post it under Comments.
COMING SOON...
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| "Change requires courage, an act of faith in the face of fear. It also demands obedience without question or hesitation. And a little tunnel vision helps along the way. There’s no time to doubt the destination because of worry over how to get there. Program the navigational system to G-O-D and move! " |
