Beyond The Quick Fix
Posted on December 20, 2006 - Filed Under Strategy Groups, general |
We all want a speedy recovery when we’re sick, a quick fix for our financial woes, or a short-cut to getting in better shape! But as we all know, tough circumstances don’t always get better quickly. Granted, sometimes bad things happen even though we have given our best effort and made pretty good decisions. We have all experienced those times, but we would have to admit that most of our hardest times result from lengthy periods of poor choices and habits. These hard times rarely get better quickly…when someone bails us out…takes responsibility for our actions (covers for us), or some strange windfall or unexpected miracle drops into our lap. Like I said…rarely!
Generally those hard circumstances take time, effort, and hard work to overcome. It’s sort of like the old overweight adage…those extra pounds didn’t get there overnight…so they don’t go away overnight. The pressure is generally released and our load is lightened when we begin to make a daily commitment to “do whatever it takes” to change our course of action! Key words…”change” and “action”. Bottom line, we have to make a decision to toss out the old wineskins (spiritually, emotionally, and physically) and stop trying to pour new wine (new resolve, right thinking, good habits) into the same old containers! Another way to say it…Talk is cheap! We must have a deep desire for the patterns in our lives to improve (enough to be willing to change what we do). We have to walk the walk! Even though we often times have good intentions, if we keep doing the same ineffective, unhealthy things over and over again hoping for different and better results, our lifestyles are then referred to by very well-educated experts as…”insane”.
Are you insane?? Honestly, I am “insane” in some areas of my life, but I am determined, by the grace God, to see improvement each and every day…one day at a time. About that, I have learned this much…I can’t do it alone…by myself. I need all of you…but even that’s not enough. For me to walk by faith, believing that it is possible for these difficult areas in my life to be overcome, even though I’m not seeing results at this very moment…my walk must include Jesus Christ. If you and I think for a nano-second that we can do this thing called life without Him…we truly are insane!
Do you think that you can live a truly rewarding and fulfilling life apart from Him? So often our actions indicate that we do (think so). Jesus said, “Apart from me you are nothing.” Nadah, nuthin, zero, goose egg! Nothing from Nothing leaves Nothing! Pretty strong words…unless you’re God! He basically said, “You gotta have something if you’re gonna be with Me!” (that part’s not Biblical, but words from the old Billy Preston classic) The real “something” Jesus regularly refers to (back to the Bible now) is a willingness to follow Him. Here’s the coolest part, “When you say…Ok, I’ll follow…He then promises things like, “You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.” and “Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” and “…thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” and lots of other cool stuff like that…
Now those are words that mean real success! Strength, Victory, Overcome. I need that kind of assurance when my life is blowing up around me! My friend’s nice stuff didn’t do much for him when his wife was recently diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. Another friend’s great job, though important, didn’t bring much comfort when she got a call from a police officer telling her and her husband that their daughter had been in a serious accident! My other friend’s “2 handicap” didn’t do much for him when his marriage was falling apart! After 14 years of addiction to crack cocaine, after losing everything he owned (literally), another friend of mine could find no source of comfort anywhere until he decided to follow Jesus Christ. If you asked each of them they would tell you that in the most difficult times in life, you and I will need what He has to offer.
There’s nothing wrong with having most of the things I mentioned (except the crack addiction!), but none of them matter much when we are faced with serious difficulties of life. At those times, where do you run for cover? When you are faced with adversity, are you always looking for a quick fix? Or the right fix? Rather than a quick fix, we must pursue the real fix…the fix that lasts forever…
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