Shedding Labels

Yesterday, I was having a conversation with someone who shared with me that they are a very driven person.  I laughed and told them that I am the complete opposite of them, I am lazy.  They were surprised at what I had said, and had thought that I too was a driven person.  I was astonished at their response and simply said then it is by the grace of God and His work in me.  

I walked away in disbelief, me driven. No!  I'm lazy!  I've always took the easiest road and if I can get out of doing work I will.  Driven??? Me?!? How could that be?  When did that happen?  And obviously it did not carry over into every area of my life.  No, not me!  On and on went this conversation in my head until I spoke with a friend.  I told her what was said to me.  She said she agreed with their assessment and then proceeded to share with me why she thought so too. 

I received what she said and began to realize that this lazy, slow, quitter, slightly ADD, messy, disorganized, forgetful, never on time woman was starting to shed some labels.  I realized that I have worn these labels on me like a heavy suit of armor and they had weighed me down holding me back from change.  Now realizing that one section of armor was less heavy or noticeable has given me a renewed hope. I am changing!  It also made me think about how my focus has been on all the ways those labels still fit, when instead it should be on the ways in which the labels are falling off as God works His character in me.   

If God can change me to be driven in some areas of my life then He can do it in every area.  In other words if I can be driven when it comes to serving Him in the church then I can be driven (In a healthy balanced way) when it comes to cleaning the toilets in my home too!!!  A new hope has taken root in my heart and mind and it's not going to stay there if I go back to focusing on how heavy that armor of labels is and how impossible it is to shed them.  In fact I need a new label one that is light and replaces all others, one that is rooted in truth, and one that is given by my Father in heaven...

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things has become new.  2 Corinthians 5:17

New Creation! The old has passed away!   Yes, I love it!  What an awesome label!  I am a new creation and so are you when you believe in Jesus!  What an awesome truth!  What comfort!  Already I feel so much lighter!  How about you?

For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.   Philippians 2:13

Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.  Philippians 1:6

Hurray, it is not up to me!  I certainly have tried, only to fail again and again.  Praise God it is Him working in me as I cooperate with what He is doing.

But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.    

1 Corinthians 15:56-58

What comfort these words are to my ears!  What hope!  Thank-you Jesus for loving us so!!!