Heart Change

In this post I want to talk about something that is a big issue in the world of Christianity today.

Personally, this is something I have struggled with, and now my eyes have been opened to see how it affects so many others both young and old.

I'll start this off with a little story.

     Haley sat in her room, packing her bags for a week of summer camp that her friend Carrie invited her too. This was a bible camp and Haley was a bit nervous, since she's never been to a camp like this. Yeah, she went to church and everything but she doesn't really care about the whole God thing. It seems a bit weird to her, trusting in someone in the sky who you can't see. Besides, all her other friends never talked about God, and they seemed like they were living perfectly fine lives without Him. Carrie was her only Christian, God-loving friend. There was something about her that attracted Haley and she liked hanging out with her. She was off to camp. Little did she know she was up for an amazing week. She ended up accepting Jesus into her heart and truly understood what it meant for Him to die on the cross. She was so excited to tell everyone when she got back home! 

Sound familiar? Well, what i didn't tell you is that as soon she got home her spiritual high only lasted for about a week. She started feeling miserable. She kept listening to the same old secular, unsatisfying music even though she knew in her heart maybe she shouldn't. She kept watching her vulgar TV shows, even the ones that seemed to have a positive message toward same-sex relationships. Besides everyone else was doing it! She kept texting the same boy that was interested in her, and called her all these sweet names and made her feel great...although sometimes he would pressure her into things she didn't want to be involved with. Her parents weren't much help either. They kept arguing with each other and arguing with her. Haley felt so unhappy.

How could she be so unhappy? I mean she just accepted God into her heart, and he's supposed to change your life forever, right? You might ask. Well yes, that is correct, but unfortunately Haley did what most young, and even older first-time Christians do. They accept God into their heart and they proudly 'wear' it as if it's some accessory. "Hey, look at this new relationship with Christ i have. It makes me feel so awesome!" They tell everyone about the "fact" that it happened, but they don't realize that it takes more than just talking about it. It takes a heart change.


My previous youth pastor would use marriage as an example of this. He said if he talked with his wife about how awesome their wedding day was with her over and over and over she would get pretty sick of it. He said if while he was married if all he would talk about was the wedding and how great it was, how could they work on the marriage itself? What happens when you have a fight? Oh it's no big deal, do you remember how awesome the wedding was? We loved each other so much then. No. If someone just reflected on the wedding day, the marriage would go no where, because you're not focusing on the fundamental, long-lasting aspects that make a marriage work. This is the same for people who have gained a new relationship with Christ. If all they did was talk about how "amazing" accepting Him into their life was, and not doing anything to make it work, they lose it. Which sadly, is what happens more often than not to many individuals. 


You see, what people don't realize is that you can't just "add" Jesus Christ onto your life, you must convert him into your life. This, as i said earlier, takes heart change, You must be willing to change the way you live life, and throw out the sin. How can someone even call themselves followers of Christ if they simply continued living a sinful life? This then leads to people falling away from Christ, getting miserable, unhappy or even depressed. 

In Revelation Chapter 2 Jesus tells us not to abandon our first love. He is our first love. "The first love which characterized the Ephesians was the zeal and ardor with which they embraced their salvation as they realized they loved Christ because He first loved them (1 John 4:19) and that it was in fact His love for them that had made them “alive together with Christ." '(www.gotquestions.org) 

Revelation 2:4-5 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.

If you realize you are falling away and you need him, you need to repent! But don't half-heartedly repent, you must mean it with all your being and continue on the path to knowing our Lord! No one can truly 'know' every aspect of our Lord. There is an infinite amount of things about him we have the opportunity to find out. How can someone just "add" God into their life, fall away and go back to the evil, worldy ways, then come back again? They will be babies in the faith forever! They need to move on in their relationship and learn the secrets of the Almighty! My prayer for the people who are struggling with this, which is many of the youth today (especially with the unceasing technological advances) is that their "lampstand" would be set ablaze and they would truly fear Christ! This is a generation full of gifts, and the gifts need to be used to glorify the Creator.

John 15:1-5

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. ..."

Listen to what Jesus said. A branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, and neither can you, unless you abide in Him. A person cannot grow in their relationship with Christ and "bear fruit" if they are not spending time with him. It is so simple, just to get alone in the secret place with the Almighty and just soak in his presence. Even if you're new to it. Pick up the bible and start reading, pray with him! Ask him to speak to you and show you his glory. He wants to bear fruit within you, will you abide in him? Remember, don't "add" Christ to your life, make your heart ready for him and accept the change. Your life is supposed to change when you accept him into your heart! Change what needs changing, and get into his presence.

Lord God, I pray for anyone who may be struggling with what i just wrote about today. I pray that you would release your Holy presence over them and convict them. That you would call them to You, and they would be made anew by the works of your hands. For they are the clay, and you are the potter. Beckon the lost ones to You. Open up this generations' eyes and give them an unquenchable thirst for You and Your Word. In Jesus Name, Amen.