Change

Good afternoon everybody,
I remember where I was September 11, 2001. Keeping babies at our Mom’s day out program at church. I’ll bet we all remember.
I remember seeing so much fear, on tv and faces. At that time Satan was trying to disable the western world through fear. But God was working on hearts. And it didn’t take long for the supernatural peace of God to rule, at least in the body of Christ. Praise God!
I remember the next day, Kim and I went to a friend’s house planning a t-shirt for the Hettie weekend. This precious sister had considered keeping her kids home from school, and as we talked scriptures, she asked us how we stayed calm and joyful. We had decided to put ‘Christ in me, the hope of glory’ from Colossians 1 on our shirts... So we were able to start there and testify how the Holy Spirit had completely changed us on the inside. From darkness to light. I can’t speak for Kim, but for me, the change was from total despair to hope, from torment to peace. And I had been a ‘good’ Christian for many years! However, her response was fairly typical, she was not ready to change ‘that much’. She probably could not envision the depth of goodness, how much better life is when God is in control of the details of your life. You know, it didn’t happen overnight, maybe I made it seem too quick and scary. The Lord doesn’t do anything to us, with us or through us without our permission. It’s not scary. Just little changes.
When a baby dirties his diaper , he doesn’t expect you to change him into a four year old, he expects you to change him into a clean diaper. But little by little, as he eats what you feed him and as he relates to you, he does change into a four year old.
That is how the Holy Spirit works. He cleans us, feeds us and relates to us as much as we will let him. Our speed of growth depends on us, our seeking the Lord. If we only want a new diaper, so to speak, then that is what He will do. But all the while encouraging us to eat (read the word) and relate (fellowship with Him) so we can grow.
In hindsight, change seems to happen overnight. Think about your babies. But in reality the changes were gradual, but steady. With spurts. And all natural things are patterned after spiritual things, so we can grow in spurts, quickly , or slowly, or we can choose to not grow at all. Bottom line; it’s up to us. Remember, a kid is not scared of growing up, and we won’t be either.
I, for one, need to do more relating. I hear and read the word, but I feel like I should fellowship with Him more. I want to grow!
I love y’all,

healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass