A New Thing...

by Elizabeth Stewart

I am a creature of routine.  I like the comfort of my little daily rituals.  I like to wake up early and head straight into the kitchen for my first cup of coffee. I like to sit in my cozy chair in our kitchen nook and sip my coffee.  Once the caffeine begins to kick in, I like to get my Bible and journaling supplies and have my devotions.  Yes, I like my routine...until I don't.  Sometimes my routine gets boring, lifeless, and same old same old.  When that happens, I know that my routine has turned into a rut.  I need to get creative and shake things up a bit.  At times like that I'll grab my Bible and journal and drive to a lovely spot by a park or next to the river for my quiet time.  Sometimes, I'll go for a walk first and get some exercise while listening to worship music or a good podcast. At other times, it's counterproductive to force my morning routine to stay the same when my environment needs tidying up or I have a long list of to-dos.  I find that I can focus on my devotional time better if I get those things done first.  So, while I like my usual routine, I don't like it when my rituals turn into a religious rut. I'm not afraid to change things up when I feel that happening.

This week, Autumn 2017 began.  I'm glad that I live in the Pacific Northwest where each season is distinct.  After a hot, dry summer, the cooler temperatures and the much needed rain are welcome.  Until they're not.  Just about the time us Pacific Northwesterners can't stand another gray, rainy day, the seasons change again.  I'm thinking that maybe the Creator doesn't really like ruts either!  In fact, I think that the Creator is constantly doing new, creative things. I don't believe those changes are just happening in the world around us.  I think God is constantly doing new and creative things in us.  That is, if we allow Him to.

Sometimes, I get a little too fond of things the way they are.  When my morning routine gets interrupted, I can get frustrated and upset at the person or situation doing the interrupting. Likewise, when I have my same old way of doing things, and then someone or something comes along that upsets the apple cart of doing it my own way, that makes me a bit cranky.  When it's the Creator Who is messing around with the way I've always thought or the way I've always done things that's a whole new level of discomfort.  That's messing around with my inner comfort zone, my inner routine, my inner rut.  Why that's messing around with who I am-with me! What I've noticed is, I like change when it's my idea, when it's me shaking things up a bit. But, when it's someone, (or Someone), else messing with my routine, my way of thinking, or my way of doing things, (a.k.a.  my rut), then I don't like it so much!

Just imagine, however, if I continually resisted change. Imagine that if every time God wanted to do a new thing in me I refused to pay attention to the wooing of His Spirit or the conviction of His Word. What if every time He showed me areas He wanted to change in me or bring to maturity in my life, I refused to heed and yield to Him.  I would still be stuck in spiritual infancy.  There are so many areas of blessing and opportunity He has given me that I would have missed out on.  When God messes with the way things are, it's because He doesn't want us to miss out on the things that could be.  Because I've learned through experience that this is true, while I still may not like the discomfort that comes with God wanting to change and do something new in me, I know that His ways are always right and that He always only does that which will work for my good in the end.  

God is doing a new thing.  Will we give heed to it or will we allow the discomfort of having God mess with the way things are in us cause us to miss out on the wonderful things that could be?

still following,

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