Change.
Ive been through a lot of changes in my life. We all have.
Change is transformational.
Change is purifying.
Change is interpretable.
I think change is what we make it. Or, more like, change is what we allow God to make it. Most importantly, are we thankful for the changes in our lives. Some change is obvious blessing. Its a new job, or relationship; it could be the birth of a child, a monetary bonus at your job, a promotion, or the sudden end to a time of despair. But often times, the changes we experience are ones that may cause distress or suffering. Its in these changes that we need to seek the blessings amidst the tragedy. It's when we do this that the change becomes transformational. Its when we do this that we become thankful; and in thankfulness, ultimately results in the glorifying of God.
At one point in my life, I got heavy into the use of PCP- angel dust, sherm, or getting "wet". If your not familiar with this drug, its basically dipping a cigarette or cigar in embalming fluid and smoking it. One particular occasion, I decided to drop about four morphine pills, drink myself to oblivion, snort some cocaine, indulge in marijuana, and than smoke a few sticks of PCP. I remember going out that night. . and that's all I remember. I ended up in the hospital for a drug overdose the next day. I stayed in the hospital for about four days. This event- this destruction of my body and soul, led to the losing of all my memory. I could no longer remember who my family was. I couldn't remember the day before, or so much as what a loaf of bread was. At one point, I looked down upon my arm, where a tattoo of Jesus rests embedded in my skin, and asked "what is this? Why is this on me?" Its a tattoo, was the response. "Why do people have them....who is Jesus?" I had gone so far as to lose sight of my own creator. I didn't even know who Jesus Christ was... The questions continued. I didn't know where I came from, or the details of a conversation that had happened five minutes ago. It was as if nothing in my brain would stick and take hold. I was the epitome of lost. Its a scary thing to not know who you are. Its a scary thing to not know anything. To not be anyone. . . This was a change.
I love sharing this story. I love thinking back on my complete confusion and helplessness. At that point, I was strategically positioned for the power of God in my life. God took a broken, lost, confused, and scared mess-of-a-man and transformed him. He took the sin that satan had brought forth with a hurricane force and crushed it. He said, I will use this for my glory. See, only God can do that with the changes we encounter in our lives. He can take a situation, a horrible, sinful, destructive situation, and make it transformational and holy. ONLY GOD. Enough said.
May God, take the painful situations...
divorce,
broken relationships,
financial struggles,
abortion,
hunger,
prostitution,
addictions,
all the other things, that we face everyday,
and use them to transform lives.
Amen.
