Deal With It

So kill (deaden, deprive of power) the evil desire lurking in your members […] now put away and rid yourselves [completely] of all these things: anger, rage, bad feeling toward others, curses and slander, and foulmouthed abuse and shameful utterances from your lips! Do not lie to one another, for you have stripped off the old (unregenerate) self with its evil practices, and have clothed yourselves with the new [spiritual self], which is [ever in the process of being] renewed and remolded into [fuller and more perfect knowledge upon] knowledge after the image (the likeness) of Him Who created it. (Colossians 3:5, 8-10 AMP)

---

So, I’m sure you’re reading this and enjoying the wonderful fall weather. Hooray for sweaters, pumpkin spice (that’s my jam!), hay rides and prepping for the holidays! There’s nothing like the change of seasons and weather patterns to help you to understand the importance of doing things differently.

I just celebrated my 40th birthday (yay for November babies!) and I’ve been thinking more and more about pursuing difference in my own life. Even at 40 years old, there are things that I want to change, need to change—quickly.

When I was in law school, we studied a term in criminal law called “hot pursuit”. It’s a weird little phrase that basically means there’s an allowance for law enforcement to bypass certain requirements in pursuing and apprehending a suspect if they believe that individual has just committed a crime.

Let’s say that someone kidnaps a kid and the police see a car matching the description of the kidnapper speeding down the road. The officers fiercely follow after the vehicle as it crosses state lines. They are now going into an area where they have no jurisdiction, but, because they are in hot pursuit of the kidnapping suspect and a child’s life is at stake, the officers can both continue to go after the suspect out of their jurisdiction and they can make an arrest without an arrest warrant.

That’s hot pursuit.

So, in the same way that law enforcement may be in hot pursuit of a suspect, we have to be in hot pursuit of change if we want to reach our full potential and really live a well-designed life.

Face It

I stopped making New Year’s resolutions a long time ago, because I would lie every year. (You do, too?! Honey, I understand...trust me!)

We get hype and excited about coming into a new year. We analyze our lives and we see those small things that need to be changed, adjusted or completely omitted from our lives and we make plans for changing those small things. We make vision boards. We believe we can do all things through Christ and we are going to change.

We’re going to stop dating deadbeats. We’re going to start exercising and eating right. We’re going to manage our anger better. We’re going to improve our work ethic. We’re going to be better organized in our businesses. We’re going to stop cussing. (Yes, I know some cussing Christians…I’m praying for ‘em to be set free!) We’re going to change these small things in the new year and we are motivated to do some new things!

But, somewhere around mid-February and early March our motivation wanes and we find ourselves less committed to changing those small things than when we first started.

The truth is that change is NOT easy for everyone and although the things we want and need to change may be small, the truth is that we’ve been living with those small things for so long that we may not necessarily want to change as much as we THINK we do.

But why be so focused on changing those small things?

Kill It

You think it’s minor, it’s no big deal, it’s a small thing; but honey, you have to deal with it now before that small thing gets out of hand!

Do you wash dishes and clean all of the plates, pots and pans and leave all of the utensils in the sink for later because they’re small? Do you do laundry and wash all of the clothes except the socks because they’re small? Do you take a shower and not wash your toes because they’re small? (If you answered “Yes” to either of these questions, call me right NOW so that I can pray for you!)

We have to see that some things are sin other things are weights—whichever category your “thing” falls into, if you’re committed to pursuing what God has designed for your life, you have to deal with the things that are causing you fall short.

Kill it.

Put it away.

Rid yourself completely.

Lay it aside and walk away from it.

It’s not just an “issue”. It’s not just a “struggle”. It’s not just a “challenge”. It’s not just a “small thing”. Your next level demands your change; it requires deliberate and resolute adjustments from you.

So as we move into 2017, identify the small thing in your life that you need to address and DEAL WITH IT!

#LifeChoices