How often do we want our choices and efforts to be a one-and-done? Where we want the initial decision, followed by a single input of effort, to be enough for the chain to take effect and the change to be permanent?
The decision to run a half-marathon. That initial decision has now been made to start running. Follow that decision by getting up the next day and going for your first run. What a relief it would be if that were enough to set the wheels in motion for permanent change. We know, though, that once you’ve made the decision to start the change… that’s when it becomes the most difficult. It might not be going for the first run where you encounter your most difficult challenges. It’s when you’re bored, or your old habits keep calling your name, they probably more attractive or easier to do than that run. It’s the every after when you choose to go for the run above the old habit where the battle will be fought and won or lost.
Is it ever effortless? Maybe for some. It might become easier after years of building the habit and choosing the more uncomfortable option. I don’t think the ‘right’ thing, or the thing that will better you, will ever be the easier choice because it’s uncomfortable and often you’ll have to make compromises.
Let me use a non-exercise example- not everyone enjoys the feeling of giving themselves the feeling of having an attack of some sort in the name of cardiovascular health.
At some point, most people want to change something, be it becoming healthier, more productive, or changing the way they spend their money. Often, the mental grappling with whether to commit to that is what takes the longest, but the reality is that the decision is not the most difficult part of that journey. The most difficult part is what you’ll face every day after that, when you have to choose whether you want to become someone different or be different, or if you’ll stay as you are because it’s more comfortable.
In some ways, it might not seem quite so dramatic; however, as someone who has tried to change and become someone different, and change habits, and I am unsuccessful 98% of the time. I can honestly say, changing oneself or a habit is one of the most challenging and humbling things you can decide to undertake. We’re going against a habit and a pathway we’ve spent years, if not decades, forging. A visual representation of this can be seen in the walking paths that have been formed in grassy patches. When you look at the paths that have been used for years, where the grass has completely disappeared, and the ground is totally compact.
How difficult would it be to plant new grass in that path so that it will match the rest of the grass and then to forge a new path in the same patch on a different side? How long would that take? I think it’s a very similar struggle when we make a decision to exact a form of change in our own lives.
One of the most radical changes a person makes is when they’ve chosen to give their heart to the Lord. Something like reading the bible regularly, which until we became christians many of us never even owned one. Now spending every day reading the Bible and spending time in prayer will be anything but natural. Waking up earlier to spend time with the Lord won’t be something you WANT to do every day.It might feel good in the beginning, but following feelings is similar to chasing a high. If you only do something when it feels good, then what is your life going to be like when you encounter difficulty.
Saying no to certain activities will leave you feeling slightly confused, and sometimes the fear of rejection rears its ugly head. What happens as you consistently choose reading the bible daily, is that your foundation starts to change, and from that your way of thinking will start to change, and so your value system will start to change and your priorities. These changes can and probably will feel extreme especially in hindsight. Sometimes they can be scary, because we willingly enter the unknown, holding onto a promise made by Jesus that is so different from anything else we’ve encountered and combine that with most promises made by people, corporations or other religions leave us feeling disappointed and and empty.
The changes you’ll choose to make are out of obedience, and because, after reading the New Testament, the way in which we need to live to give us life and the full purpose is clearly guided for us. Choosing the righteous way and becoming mature in the decision-making process will take years. A lot of it will be a daily choice to follow the Lord and His ways. Every day, you will make the choice which path you will forge. Every day will be a battle of some kind. Usually, it will all be in your mind, not in the way that it’s imagined, but because it will feel like it’s one side of you versus the other. One part of you wants something better, and the other part does not want the struggle of change. Some days will be easier than others.
We’re in the war for souls. Your own included. Every day is a battle in the war. Each day is different from the day before, and it will be different from the one that comes after.
Why on earth would we undertake something like this?
The reality is you’re already choosing to live a certain way every day. The question, to be honest with yourself, is: do you have peace in your everyday life? Do you feel like you have purpose? Do you feel like you can accept love and love freely? Do you have shame? Do you feel like you’re out of control? Is all you live for for yourself?
I believe the fear of change is some sort of defense mechanism. I also believe it’s how the enemy (Satan) keeps us from changing into true believers of Christ, and who we were created to be. Fear of looking stupid, the fear of being rejected. Fear of making the wrong choice. When we come to the bottom of it, the reality is these are excuses led by fear.
Do you ever want to be better and have control over your mind? Feeling free to say no to anyone. Not having to fear the opinion of people, those close to you, and strangers. This starts the train that leads to what freedom looks like.
I’ve wrestled with the idea of freedom. In our different societies, it might look different. The common thread I believe is autonomy. Freedom could be the ability to make decisions about oneself in any way, without repercussions or limitations (not including breaking the law). There might be a few branches in this concept. This is how I view some of those main themes that we connect with the modern concept of freedom.
Let’s call freedom the ‘self’ evolution. ‘My body, my choice’/ you do you/ live and let live/ your truth. Freedom of speech. Freedom of religion. These are all in the name of freedom. In all of these, the priority is yourself. I think we can also agree that with each of these phrases, people have formed their own groups. That as a community they might agree, and now they share the ideology of what freedom should represent. Beyond the group ideology, when broken down, it becomes clear that freedom is the ability to live unapologetically only for yourself.
In this group, should you start questioning what freedom might look like, whether it’s different from the group ideology, you will be rejected, because you now threaten their worldview. Whichever way you go, the reality is: are you really free? Or are you conforming to the way the group now identifies and it’s constructs?
What if freedom isn’t autonomy? What if freedom were the ability to have peace in all situations, to be nonreactive to situations, to have control of your mind? What if freedom looked like not caring what people thought because you know your identity so clearly that other people’s opinions are like water off a duck’s back? What if freedom is accepting the most pure and generous love of all that no human could ever compete with. What if freedom was giving your life to a good God, a loving God, and serving Him, but the gift you get back is joy, peace, love, and confidence? What if freedom is the elimination of self and living for a purpose other than yourself?
Freedom comes at a cost. The laying down of your won life and picking your cross.
Doesn’t everything? When the reward is so great that it is priceless. There is nothing that you could ever do to deserve or be worthy of it. The only thing you have to do is choose to fight the battle every day.
How often do we do things in the name of ‘truth’ when it’s often an opinion or a political worldview rather than fact.
Yet we choose comfort over the truth. We choose comfort over the righteous choice. We choose comfort over obedience. For what? Short-term pleasure, that ultimately leaves us feeling empty and unsatisfied, and as if there should be more out there.
Which freedom are you willing to fight for? You are already fighting whether it’s because you don’t want to choose, or you’re on the side that blurs the picture of it so that you can live seemingly guilt free doing what you want to rather than what you should do.
Are you okay with the trajectory of your path, or are you just a little bit tired of the picture that’s being painted in your future?
Everything can change. The only certainty we have in this is death.
Until then, it’s your choice.
