Your Life Uncovered
By: Kristen L. McNulty
If you enjoyed this Impact devotional, the author would love to hear from you. Email her at kristenmcnulty@hotmail.com.
If you'd like to reprint this devotional, please email the author first and she will get back to you within 24 hours. Thank you for your consideration.
I have to admit I'm a fan of shows that focus on crime solving. I find it incredible how they can use small bits of information to piece together someone's life so well. One show in particular that focus' on that is Without A Trace. They receive a report of a missing person, they inspect their home, where they work, talk to a couple friends and usually they have a complete picture of who the person is and where they might be.
As I was watching an episode the other night, a thought struck me. What would happen if my life was opened up like that? If they went through my bank accounts, looked into my phone records, searched my room, talked to my friends and family, what would they find?
Would they see a picture of a faithful follower of Christ? Or would they see a different picture?
A very important question that we all need to ask. And the answer all depends on how we're living here and now.
You see while Christ never demands perfection from any one of His followers, when He comes into our lives things should change. He calls us to come out from where we were and follow Him on a new, better path.
And on that path, our lives start to look a little different. Where once the universe revolved around "me, me, me", now it revolves around Him and that can make all the difference. It makes a difference when we turn on the television late at night and are trying to choose which channel to watch. It makes a difference every time we sign online and have to choose what direction we're going in. It makes a difference in who we interact with and how we do so. It makes a difference in how we spend our time and our money. On the outside we're the same, but on the inside we're really quite different.
So how about you? If your life was opened up today by a third party, would they see a 180 after you accepted Christ? Or have you pretty much just been lagging along in the same direction you've always gone?
If that's you a described, let me encourage you: it doesn't have to be like that any longer. In Philippians 2:12-13 it says:
"Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and power to do what pleases him."
Let me repeat that last part, "God is working in you, giving you the desire and power to do what pleases him."
Is God working in your life? Have you been seeing change happening? If not, stop where you are right now and give Him permission to start moving in your life. I've heard it said time and time again, the Holy Spirit is a gentleman. Meaning, God doesn't go where He isn't wanted. If you are serious about change, God will, as promised in that verse I just read, give you both the desire and power to do what pleases Him.
The question all comes down to, do you want it? Do you want to live a life with no regrets? A life where you can look back and say "yes, with God, I gave it my best shot?" That way of living isn't always easy, but with the grace of God in hand, it's more the possible and it's the only way to go.
So today, wherever you are, stop and ask God to open your heart and mind to any way in you that doesn't match up with what He wants. And then when something is revealed, ask Him to help you change.
Every journey starts with just one step. Let today be your stepping stone for an amazing journey that lasts a lifetime!
This devotional was aired as a part of the Making A Difference Christian Radio Show.