Why is change so difficult?

“The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?” (Jer. 17:9 NAS).

We all want to change something in our lives. Some are trying to quit a habit, while others are trying to pick up a good attitude. We want to change our lives for the better, but the power to command such change seems to be as far as the east is from the west.

The scripture above is quite sharp and penetrating. It gets to the core of the human problem, which is the heart of man. Man’s heart is sick and deceitful, but if you can change a man’s heart, you will change his life without effort. The dilemma of change is that changing a man’s heart is an impossible endeavor. People try to change by altering their behaviors or attitudes, but you cannot change a man and produce any lasting and joyful results by changing their outside. It must be from within. Governments would pay trillions of dollars if there were a bill that could cure the sickness of the human heart. But there is good news. Christ came so that man could have a new heart. As a believer, God has created a new heart inside of you, and is continuously transforming it by His Word and Spirit.

MEDITATE

Has your heart ever deceived you? Do you struggle with something you want to change but find that you do not have the ability to do so?

APPLY THE WORD

Change is difficult, but no longer so for the believer. You have the Word of God and the Spirit of God to transform your heart to produce an effortless change. Identify a habit today, go for the Word of God, and allow the Spirit to change your life as you meditate and do it!

PRAY

Thank the Lord for the unique privilege in Christ of being given a new heart.

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