Lately, I have been butting heads with some of my gymnasts. They have stubbornly refused to conform to my expectations for the team. They ignore my warnings to work out safely, and, instead, practice unsafe gymnastics. Their resistance to complying with my instructions makes me grouchy. Every day when these athletes arrive at my event, I know I am going to be beating my head against the proverbial wall trying to get them to listen.
This morning I decided to stop trying to change them and let God change me instead.
As Christians, we sometimes butt heads with others because we want them to conform to our expectations. And if a person doesn’t see things our way, well, frankly, we get a little cranky. We tend to insist that people bend to our way of thinking. Not surprisingly, this usually creates walls and resistance from others.
We need to be in the world as Christ was in the world. He said, “I have set an example that you should do as I have done for you” (John 13:15). We shouldn’t want people to think like us; we should pray people will be open to God in Christ.
We can’t change anyone; the process of transforming a life belongs to the Holy Spirit. However, we can let God in Christ transform our own hearts and minds. When we open our lives to the transforming work of the Holy Spirit, then our lives testify to the transforming power of the Spirit.
Photo by Vidar Nordli-Mathisen
Denise Larson Cooper has a passion for Christ and sharing His Word. A wife and mother of two daughters, Denise currently works as a gymnastic coach.
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Godnesia: Keeping God in Mind Each Day http://amzn.to/2GSquOD
Ordinary Days With an Extraordinary Savior – http://amzn.to/2mFGASB
Life Is a Metaphor: Recognizing God in the Everyday – http://amzn.to/2De1rU2