Are you open to change?

Good morning! I hope you had a terrific weekend and that your week is off to a great start.

Have you ever noticed that people are creatures of habit? Most of us have our “routines” that bring a sense of normalcy to our lives. We tend to get dressed the same way, take the same route to the office and we sit in the same seats week after week at church. In a life that is filled with the consistent and familiar, one of the greatest sources of discomfort is change.

Today I want to challenge you with the idea of adapting to change.

Proverbs 18:15 (NLT)

Intelligent people are always open to new ideas. In fact, they look for them.

For some of us change is second nature. We have an adventurous spirit and look forward to the thrill and challenge of change. The majority of people however are not comfortable with change. We all know that change is inevitable. Think for a few moments with me about the changes that have taken place in our world. 30 years ago your changed channels on your television with a knob, your rolled your car windows down with a handle and no one even had ever heard of email.

Where do these changes come from? They begin with an idea. Someone sees a place for innovation and they begin to brainstorm. From that brainstorming comes an idea. From the idea comes invention and from invention comes the new technologies and methodologies of today.

In life one of the deadliest statements that is ever made is this: “That’s the way we’ve always done it.” Can you imagine if we as a society had taken this stance. We would travel by horse and buggy, light our homes with candles, preserve our food with salt and perform dentistry without anesthesia. Fortunately for us somebody was open to a new idea and took a risk to make it a reality. Their good idea has made your life more efficient, comfortable or productive.

Today I want to challenge you to listen for some new ideas. Allow God to expand your horizons. Be open to trying new things or new methods. Spend an afternoon brainstorming. You might be surprised. That new idea could turn into something that changes the course of your life for years to come.

Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.

Carl