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PROGRAM D-7531
They tell us it takes 21 days to break an old habit, and 65 days to establish a new one! Wow, change comes hard and slow for us, doesn’t it? I want to talk about changing, and why it seems to be so difficult for us.
And first, I’d like to announce a change in my life—my name has changed from Mary Whelchel to Mary Lowman, because I was married on December 31st to Rex Lowman. That has certainly brought change into my life, change I never expected but for which I’m very thankful. But there’s no question that change—even change for the better—usually brings some stress with it.
I want to specifically talk about making changes in ourselves. What are the things in yourself which you keep intending or trying to change, but it just hasn’t happened yet? You’re going to be more organized; you’re going to eat better; you’re going to start exercising regularly; you’re going to read your Bible and pray more. Lots of us have many good intentions about making changes in our lives, but too often those intentions are never realized. Why?
Well, for one thing, change is very uncomfortable. We have dug ourselves some little ruts in which we operate. Those ruts frequently are bad habits that need to be replaced, but we’ve been there so long that we’re comfortable there. As soon as you start to change anything, you go into a transition period which is anything but comfortable.
But we can never improve without changing, so unless you’re willing to stagnate where you are, you have to learn how to incorporate change into your life in little and big ways. And there are many skills and disciplines and good habits that we can only learn by teaching ourselves to change.
Remember, when we decide to change a bad habit, at first it’s very uncomfortable, and our natural tendency is to go back into our old ruts. I want to encourage you not to let the uncomfortableness of change keep you from changing. Expect to be uncomfortable. It won’t last forever, but it will be there for awhile. Live through the uncomfortable feelings, but don’t give up.
Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” and certainly Christ can give us the strength to make needed changes.