Simple but not always easy

It says in the Bible in Matthew 3:1-2 “While Jesus was living in the Galilean hills, John, called “the Baptizer,” was preaching in the desert country of Judea. His message was simple and austere, like his desert surroundings: “Change your life. God’s kingdom is here.”

Simple but not always easy. Thinking about allowing God to change our character I began reading articles on the process of change and how the changes in my life lined up with these suggested stages of the process of change. I read a number of articles and came across one on https://verywellmind.com which I would like to share some of.

Stage one they say is: PRECONTEMPLTION which includes deciding do I really have a problem”

Stage two is: CONTEMPLATION which includes the weighing up of the pros and cons of actually doing something about my problem.

Stage three is: Preparation which includes gathering all the information and options I have to do something about my problem?

Stage four is Action which includes a decision on what I am going to do, how I am going to do it, when I am going to do it and a commitment to getting done

Stage five is : MAINTENANCE how am I going to keep moving forward? and How am I going to avoid the temptation to relapse?

Stage six is: RELAPSE If I get it wrong and give in to temptation how am I going to get back on the horse?

I must say in looking at the process according to other people’s opinions my first thought was THANKYOU JESUS! There is a verse in the Bible that says “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'” Jesus says in Matthew 24:13  “the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”

Isaiah 45:22  “Turn to me now and be saved, people all over the world! I am the only God there is.” To me allowing God to change me was simple ‘turn to God’ The God of the Bible, through the One and only true Higher Power’ Jesus Christ. Get to know Him, understand His will for my life, and change my character to reflect what He tells me to do on a daily basis through a daily relationship with the Holy Spirit and His leading. Simple but not always easy.