BE THE BEST VERSION OF YOU

Recently, I visited Atlanta and stayed with my sister for almost a week. I loved getting to spend time with her and her family, and I also loved getting to watch some television at night. Usually, the TV is never turned on in my house, unless one of the grandbabies is visiting, or if there is a big golf tournament. I watched a few tear-jerker movies, and I also watched an entire season of a show on Netflix. My daughter, Ashleigh, said that she had seen good reviews of a show called “Living With Yourself.” This is a new Netflix series, so we sat down and watched every episode. The series is about this man who has become unhappy with his life. He is struggling with himself, with his marriage, and with his job. So, in a desperate attempt to become a better version of himself, he decided to undergo some kind of mystery treatment. He was not aware that the mystery treatment was that they were going to “clone” him and the clone would be a better version of the original. The original was not supposed to survive the treatment, and the clone was going to take his place. But, by a fluke, the original version did survive and was shocked to find that he had a clone. As the show progresses, you soon see the original version becoming jealous of the clone, because the clone was better at everything.

How many of us can relate in a small way? I know that I can because I see so many areas of my life that need improvement. I need to be neater, and I would love to have a beautifully clean and decorated home. I need to eat better, and I would love to make better choices of what I put in my mouth. I need to buy more nutritious foods, and I need to prepare them so that they are better for me to eat. I need to organize my time better, and I need to get up earlier in the mornings. I need to create better content for the blog, and I need to put more time into my clothing choices. But, most of all, I need to have better Bible study habits, better prayers, better Church attendance, better words coming from my mouth, and better giving habits.

The problem that most of us face is that we only “want” to change, but we are not “motivated” to change. Here are a few examples of what I mean; if you are a new bride, then you might be more motivated to lose a few pounds before the big day than you would if you were just going out on a date. I know that I am more motivated to pick up the house and make it look nice if I know that someone is dropping by later, versus if just Joe is coming home. Those are temporary motivations that will get us to a short term goal, but how can we make real long term changes?

1 Corinthians 15:58

⁵⁸ Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

You will not change unless you put in the work. All of the good attitudes in the world will be a substitute for hard work and dedication.

James 1:22-25

²² But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. ²³ For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; ²⁴ for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. ²⁵ But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

It is one thing to hear the word, but it is another thing actually to do the actions. I want to change, but to truly change, I need to develop habits. Habits are only formed when they have been performed over and over again. Habits are like the waters that run through the canyons. The waters have traveled the same path for years and have eroded the rock and soil away until it has created deep etchings in the mountains. Habits are formed in the same way, and with lots of repetition, they will be etched in our soul.

So, this coming week, take one second and determine your path. One second is how long it takes to make a decision, whether it is for good or for bad. One second to a better version of yourself…one second.

Have A Blessed Day.