TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS--DAY THREE

JOHN THE BAPTIST: COURIER OF JOY

READ: Luke 1:13-16, 39-43, 57, 80, John 3:25-30 (Click here to read selections from the NIV)

In 1623 a woman in France gave birth to one of the greatest mathematical minds in history.  From early on, he demonstrated amazing genius, discovering at the age of twelve that the sum of the angles of a triangle is equal to two right angles--a fact now taught in every basic geometry class.  As an adult, Blaise Paschal devoted himself to mathematical experiments and traveled about, lecturing on his findings.  Then one night something happened that changed everything.

He was driving a coach home when the lead horses took fright and fled wildly across a bridge, railing into the dark waters below.  Had the reins not snapped, Paschal would have plunged to his death, a reality that deeply affected him.  Later that night, as he pondered his near-death experience, the presence of God descended in a dramatic way.  He wrote of it on a piece of parchment and secured it in an amulet that  he kept next to his heart. Giving up mathematical pursuits, he went on  to devote himself completely to Christ.  Upon his death they found the amulet around his neck, with the paper he'd written that night.  It contained these words:...O righteous Father, the world hath not know Thee, but I have known Thee.  Joy, joy, joy, tears of joy.

Joy  ought to be the life song of every Christ-follower, for it flows from the heart of God and resonates on page after page of Scripture.  The Christmas story is replete with expressions of gladness and calls to rejoice, and nowhere is this seen more keenly than in Christ's forerunner and cousin, John the Baptist. 

John's  joy as a young man was wrapped up in the wonder of being chosen to announce something as incredible as the coming of the Messiah. Though he  preached a radical message of repentance, there is never the sense that he  viewed his calling as anything but the delight of his soul.  He made this clear to his disciples one day, when they were concerned that he was  losing his standing to the  newcomer named Jesus of Nazareth.  Though he'd told them many times that he was only there to prepare the way, they lost sight of that when the crowds thinned around them, flocking instead to the One whom John declared was the Lamb of god who takes away the sins of the world. 

As  they shared their concerns, John explained that he was like a best man in a wedding, waiting with everyone else for the bridegroom to arrive.  Once he heard the bridegroom's voice, he knew the wedding was imminent, and joy completely consumed him.  Nothing brought John greater happiness  than to know that he was fading into the background, even as Jesus gained in popularity.  In reality, Jesus' appearance was the beginning of the end for John; a horrifying one that he may very well have suspected was on the horizon even as he spoke of his joy being made full.

So with every Christmas carol we sing in the coming days, let us cling to the truth that we are made for joy, that no matter what our life might hold on any given day, our very birthright as believers is to know gladness of heart.  Think of it.  We too have the privilege of preparing  the way, of listening for the Bridegroom's voice as He comes to us.  And as we live to see Him increase and ourselves decrease, we will, like  John the Baptist, have our joy made full to overflowing.

REFLECT

Though  joy is our birthright as children of God, we often have to enter into a  fight of faith in order to experience it.  Consider your own life today.  Is it permeated with joy in Christ?  Are you motivated by pleasure to do His will?  Do you live to enjoy Jesus more?  In what ways might you need to enter into battle to reclaim your right to joy?

RESPOND 

John the Baptist rejoiced to hear the Bridegroom's voice.  Ask Jesus to  speak to your heart today by giving you a revelation of who he is and His presence with you, as you read the following verses.  Spend some time worshiping by rejoicing in Him. 

1 Chronicles 16:32-34

Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
let the field exult, and everything in it!
Then shall the trees of hte forest sing for joy
before the Lord, for He comes to judge the earth.
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; 
for His steadfast love endures forever!  

A CHRISTMAS ACTIVITY

Make the Christmas carol, Joy to the World your song of the day.  Click here to sing the song and worship with Chris Tomlin.  As you sing it to yourself, think of joy as the greatest gift of all in Christ.   Celebrate!

For a printable version of this devotional, click here. 

TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS--DAY TWO

ELISABETH: A GENTLE STRENGTH*

Read: Luke 1:39-45 (Click here to read selections from the NIV)

There are people like Elisabeth in each of our lives--those unsung heroes who walk quietly and faithfully before God. They are the ones we want to run to when we struggle as well as when we soar. Knowing that they are there and will give us just what we need when we come to call, is like an old, familiar song that plays somewhere comfortably in the back of our minds.

What made Elisabeth the kind of person her teenage niece would want to stay with during her first months of pregnancy? Scripture tells us Elizabeth was six months along herself, but would that have been the only thing drawing Mary to make the journey alone to see her? What else do we know of this woman who played such a significant role in preparing for the coming of the Messiah?
 
First, Elizabeth was a righteous woman who walked honorably before God. She had tried to keep His commandments as carefully as possible all the days of her long life. This would have been no small feat under the best of circumstances, but in her case, it meant trusting Him even as the one thing every Hebrew woman desperately craved-- a child of her own-- eluded her year after year after year, into old age.

What I love about Elizabeth is that there is simply no trace of bitterness in her story. Though others would have looked with disdain upon her unfortunate circumstances, viewing her as deficient in some way, there's no evidence that she’d taken offense at all, nor does she seem to waste time with self-recrimination, or second guessing God about how this could have happened in light of her faithfulness before Him. This, I believe, is more than anything, what made Mary want to be in her presence during the most trying time of her life. The young girl needed someone who would do exactly what Elizabeth did-- rejoice with her and give God glory over an outrageous situation that would cause countless others to question or condemn her outright.

Those three months must have been a wondrous time for the

two women, with Elizabeth encouraging and instructing Mary in everything from a proper diet to handling those famous false contractions. I suspect they had many conversations about what it would mean to raise children that belonged wholly to God and His purposes. I can just see them pondering, praying together and preparing their hearts for the days to come. In the end, there is no doubt that Elizabeth’s gentle strength was a gift Mary would treasure her whole life as the mother of the incarnate Christ.

On these days before Christmas, let us consider what it means to trust God in every circumstance, to walk before Him with honor, even when we cannot see His hand. Above all, let us remember the spiritual strength of this amazing woman, and choose daily as she did, to refuse to be offended at how God orders the course of our lives. This is the greatest preparation we can make for the miracles that have yet to unfold and the call to God's purposes that await us in the days to come. 

Reflect
 
Many of us find ourselves struggling in these troubling times to see how God is working or what His plan is for the difficult situations we face. Pause and ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you, asking Him questions such as: Lord, how do you want to encourage me with Elizabeth's life? What do You want to show me of Yourself through this? Jot the things you sense Him saying down in your journal.

What would you like other people to conclude about the God you serve from the way you approach hard times or seasons when prayer seems to go unanswered? What changes might you need to make in light of this desire?

Respond
 
Read the following passage prayerfully, asking God to impart its truths to your heart and life. Then re-write it in your own words, as it relates to your personal situation. Make it a psalm of praise and worship to the Lord.
    Habakkuk 3:17-18
    Though the fig tree should not blossom
    And there be no fruit on the vines,
    Though the yield of the olive should fail
    And the fields produce no food,
    Though the flock should be cut off from the fold
    And there be no cattle in the stalls,
    Yet I will exult in the LORD,
    I will rejoice in the God of my salvation

A Christmas Activity
 
Call someone who has been there for you spiritually in the past and thank them for their faithfulness and witness in your life.

For a printable version of this devotional, click here. 

TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS--DAY ONE

God's Extraordinary Surprises
READ: Luke 1:1-22, 56-66 (Click here to read selections from the NIV)

I love surprises.  To my poor husband's chagrin, I refuse to participate in the shabby tradition of telling him what to get me for Christmas.  I know it's a practical way to exchange gifts, and one that lots of people prefer, but to me, Christmas without surprises is like a cupcake without the frosting.  I still eat it, but feel like I've somehow missed out on the best part.



I know I'm in good company here, because when you read the stories of Christ's birth, it is easy to see that God loves surprises too.  Take the first narrative Luke unfolds for us, where an unknown priest shows up for his annual ministry at the Temple and gets waylaid by an angel as he burns incense on the altar.  When Gabriel announces Zachariah's role in the grand Gospel story, Scripture says he became paralyzed with fear.  Terror soon gave way to cynicism, however, as the angel promised him the surprise of his life--a chance to father a son in his very old age. 

The thing about God's surprises is that so often they come when hope is gone and dreams have died.  Not only had Zechariah given up on having a son, but he was one of millions of Israelites who had heard nothing from God for over 400 years.  Think of it.  For ten generations there had been no angel visitations, no angry prophets, no clouds by day or fires by night, no temples filling with smoke or Mount Sinai's quaking with the glory of the Lord.  It would be safe to say that most of God's children were living with little anticipation of the promised Messiah showing up to free them from the tyranny of Rome.

Another thing about God's surprises is that although they seem to come when time has run out, we discover in retrospect that His plan was perfect to accomplish His goals.  In His sovereign wisdom, the Almighty carefully lines things up, preparing the way for break-through, even though we may be oblivious to His working, and perhaps have even given up.  Yet, we can look back and see the ways in which every detail of how, and when God chose to act, played a critical role.

 In this story, for example, Zachariah had left the hills of Judea to come to the busy metropolis of Jerusalem.  He was not ministering at the temple alone in the early morning or late at night, but at mid-day when the crowds came to offer prayers and hundreds would see him come out and know that something supernatural had occurred.  And though Zachariah came as a priest to perform his temple duties once a year, this was the only time in his life when the lot fell for him to enter into the holy of holies.  What better place to be ambushed by God?

All in all, when you consider what would soon unfold, God had a pretty novel idea to kick the whole thing off.  Not only did an old man get a wish that he'd long ago given up on, but his miracle baby would prepare the way for the fulfillment of the greatest promise ever given, the coming of the Messiah.

So as we enter the final stretch before Christmas, let us ponder deeply the story of a faithful priest and the people of God who endured 400 years of Sovereign silence.  And may we take delight that we have a heavenly Father who, when least expected, loves to come crashing into our world with glorious surprises.  

REFLECT

Although Zachariah was struck mute because of his cynicism and unbelief, God used his failure to draw attention to His own power (see verses 57-66).  Are there areas in your life where you have given up hope of God breaking in?  Does unbelief keep you from an abiding trust in God's Word and His ways?  If so, offer these things to the Lord, asking Him to give you a fresh start.  Affirm that He will use even your unbelief to accomplish His purposes in His time. Write your thoughts to the Lord in a journal.

RESPOND

Zachariah burst out in praise as soon as God loosened his lips.   Read his words below aloud, personalizing them as your own prayer of praise to God.

"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has visited and redeemed his people
and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David,
as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
that we should be saved from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us;
to show the mercy promised to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant,
the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
to give knowledge of salvation to his people
in the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God,
whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace."

A CHRISTMAS ACTIVITY

Plan a way to surprise someone who might least expect it today.  As you experience the joy of doing so, reflect on how God takes pleasure in bestowing surprises upon His children.

For a printable version of this devotional, click here.

LOVING MY NEIGHBOR OR LOOKING FOR LOOPHOLES?

When a politician calls for a ban on Muslims coming to America, I dismiss it as campaign rantings from someone I have no respect for anyway.  But when Christian leaders whom I do respect join the chorus, I know I can’t ignore it any longer.  To be perfectly honest, I’d rather stay out of this particular fray—I take no pleasure in joining a public conversation that seems to turn volatile so easily.  Beyond that, when it comes to terms of national safety, I have more questions than answers, and the last thing I want to do is contribute to the divisive rhetoric.

But, at the risk of over-spiritualizing the angst I’ve felt these past several weeks, I write because the Holy Spirit simply will not let me off the hook another day.  I do, however, offer this caveat.  This blog will probably please no one.  It will not go far enough for some and it won’t provide the black and white answers others want.  I do have hopes, though, that it might help some of us be a little more prayerful and thoughtful about our place in this dreadful drama that seems to be defining the 21st century worldwide.

Over these weeks of horrifying slaughters in countries across the world and here at home, I have been pondering what my response should be in light of Jesus’ words that the second greatest commandment is to love my neighbor as myself.  Like the rich young ruler, I want to know, who really is my neighbor?  Is it any of the thousands of Syrian refugees forced from their homeland who hope to resettle in my country?  Are the families and friends of people like Tashfeen Malik and Syed Farook my neighbors?  Are Muslims from Afghanistan and Iraq and Pakistan and Egypt and Saudi Arabia who are seeking political asylum in the West my neighbors?

When Jesus was asked this question, he refused to answer it, at least directly (see Luke 10:25-37).  Why? It may be because he knew our propensity to look for loopholes that will free us from the responsibility of radical obedience.  Perhaps it was because he knew a direct answer would miss the point and lead to nothing more than an angry argument like those taking place today on social media and around dinner tables and in office workrooms. 

Instead, Jesus narrated that famous “Good Samaritan” story, and in essence, upended the question altogether.  By focusing instead on those individuals who had a choice to make when confronted with a broken and hurting stranger, Jesus was asking:  What does it look like for you to be a neighbor?  Or more broadly, in the face of those who are needy, those who don’t share your faith, those who may represent everything you abhor, those you may even fear, what kind of person will you be?

My prayer is that this is the question we will wrestle with daily.  What kind of people will we be in light of the situation we find ourselves in?  Whatever your political persuasion, whatever your personal opinion, whatever fears you face or offenses you feel, whatever terrible news unfolds, what kind of person will you be—in the things you say or the posts you share on social media, in the way you treat those around you, or in the decisions you make about who you love or who you share your time and possessions and heart with?

At the end of his story, Jesus challenged the rich young ruler with this question: "Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?"  The young man could only reply: "The one who showed him mercy."  Then Jesus’ responded with this simple admonition: You go, and do likewise.

This is what I am pressing into today.  What would it mean for me to go and do the same, to show the kind of mercy the Samaritan did in his selfless, sacrificial acts of compassion?  What strangers might I notice and what steps might I take to show mercy as I shop for groceries or wait in line at the bank or work out in the gym?  How  might I be more intentional about offering a smile and a kind word to those whose skin is a different shade, or who dress differently or who seem to struggle with my language? How can I offer welcome and warmth to those innocent Muslim Americans who are denigrated daily by being lumped with terrorists whom they abhor as much as I do? 

I want to be the one who shows mercy—in what I say and what I do, every single day, regardless of the circumstances that might make we want to act otherwise.  I want to show mercy-- and I believe you do too.  So let’s just figure out what that looks like…one by one, let us go and do likewise.

Here are some links that might help you get started:

This Sunday is national refugee Sunday—click here for a powerful video explaining the plight of refugees and how we can be involved from home.

I love this missionary’s wisdom on the rhetoric that is going around.

Anne Voskamp always has such beautiful, simple solutions.

And finally, some thoughtful words from Russell Moore, President of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. 

On another note--the "Twelve Days of Christmas Devotionals" begin on December 12th right here. 

Preparation...Promise...Peace

I hate to bring up a touchy subject, but in case you didn't know it, this is the year when Christmas comes less than a month after Thanksgiving.  Even still, I am a firm believer in the simple premise that the Christmas season CANNOT BEGIN UNTIL AFTER THANKSGIVING!!!  No decorations, no carols, no shopping--nothing, nada, never! So why is that Christmas tree standing there all proud and lit up behind my guests at Thanksgiving dinner?

It started a couple of years ago when Joe set up the tree only to discover that the top half of the lights no longer worked.  Just as he finished cutting the old ones off and restringing the top, the right half of the center section went out... and so it went until my poor husband who never gets riled was ready to pull his hair out.   Besides the fact that he doesn't have much hair to spare, this was not a pretty way to begin the Christmas season.  

Since we usually try to decorate the day after Thanksgiving, Joe let me know this year that he would be putting up the tree to check on the lights Thursday morning.  What could I say?

Things did go a bit better--he only had to run to the drugstore once for an extra string and that tree could light up a city block now!

I love sitting by the tree in the quiet and have to admit it's so nice to have all that decorating done.  It's a good reminder that a little preparation ahead of time is never a bad idea.

Speaking of preparation, today is the first Sunday of Advent, an ancient tradition of the church meant to ensure that our hearts are ready for the celebration of Christ's birth.  


Advent is a word of expectation, of hope, of a promise unprecedented in the history of humankind.  It simply means coming and calls us to remember that we celebrate Christmas, not only because Christ came, but because one day He will come again in glory.  

My prayer is that this mystery will captivate my heart as I move through this season.  I know that I must be intentional in this, that I must plan ahead-- I really can't afford to wait until the crazy chaos of the season hijacks my heart.  So, like Joe and the Christmas lights, I am taking the time to focus now so that in my moments and hours, in my heart and in my home, I am ever aware of the profound reality that Christ came...and will come again.

If you'd like to do the same, here are few things that might help get you started:

ADORE: this new Christmas album by Chris Tomlin is a wonderful worship experience.  Click here to listen on youtube. 

ADVENT READINGS: Click here for a  set of Scripture readings for every day this month.

ADVENT WREATH: Click here for everything you need to know about how to make one, what it means and how to use it.

12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS DEVOTIONALS: I will be posting my devotionals right here beginning December 14th.

Have a blessed Advent!

Gratitude: A Quiz, A Printable and a Practice Video

With Thanksgiving a little over a week away, I wanted to offer a few things to assist you in celebrating this wonderful holiday and in practicing gratitude throughout the year.

A QUIZ FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY

Take the gratitude quiz below yourself, or make it a fun Thanksgiving meal game.  The answers and explanations are at the end of the blog, and they may surprise you! (no peeking)!

A PRINTABLE

We are hosting family and a few friends for Thanksgiving this year--the total is 21 and counting--so I put together a gratitude printable to use for napkin rings that people can take home and put on their refrigerators if they want.  There is a large size in case you want to frame it, or a page of small ones here.

PRACTICING GRATITUDE IN 30 SECONDS

Most of us are truly grateful, but often fail to express gratitude or experience the amazing benefits that come from a focus on being thankful.  This short video teaches a quick and easy way for you to practice gratitude more intentionally.  In the process you will alter your brain's neural pathways for optimum emotional, physical and spiritual benefits.

BEST TURKEY RECIPE EVER

I can't leave out the turkey recipe I have used for the past ten years, the one that never fails to produce a beautiful, golden, moist, delectable turkey and one that everyone raves about.  It is very easy, but you do have to plan ahead and buy the turkey several days out in order to thaw it.  This year I am going to use the same recipe, but cook it on the smoker!  Check it out here! 

Have  blessed Thanksgiving everyone--I am so thankful for you!!!

ANSWERS AND EXPLANATIONS TO QUIZ

1. False: scientific studies show that people who tend to compare their situations to others do not reap positive benefits, even if they express gratitude.  Instead, those who were simply grateful for what they had, without comparison, experienced positive changes in behavior, emotions and attitudes.

2. False: Studies have shown that even writing in a gratitude journal once per week alters the neural pathways in our brains.

3. True.

4. True

5. False.  Studies show that grateful people are less materialistic than ungrateful people.

6. True.

7. False.  Gratitude can actually be an unhealthy motivation for obedience.  John Piper helps us understand why—see the article at http://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/is-gratitude-a-bad-motivation-for-obeying-god

8. False.  Studies show that gratitude for inanimate things like material possessions etc. does not produce the same positive benefits that gratitude related to people and our connections do.

9. True.  See Ephesians 5:14

10. True and false.  Giving thanks produces positive changes in our brains including all the other benefits above, regardless of how we direct our gratitude.  But according to Romans 1:21, people who don’t honor God as the giver in their gratitude become futile in their thinking, having foolish hearts that lead to all kinds of sinful behavior.  Giving thanks to “the universe,” or our own bodies (thank you legs for carrying me through the day) or inanimate objects (thank you chicken for giving your life for my dinner), does not honor God as the one who reigns over all and is thus the true giver of every grace we ever experience.

SOURCES:

The Grateful Brain; the Neuroscience of Giving Thanks, by Alex Korb, Psychology Today, November 2012, accessed at: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/prefrontal-nudity/201211/the-grateful-brain

Counting Blessings Versus Burdens: An Experimental Investigation of Gratitude and Subjective Well-Being in Daily Life by Robert Emmons & Michael McCullough, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology Copyright 2003 by the American Psychological Association, Inc. 2003, Vol. 84, No. 2, 377–389 accessed at http://emmons.faculty.ucdavis.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/90/2015/08/2003_2-Emmons_McCullough_2003_JPSP.pdf

Is Gratitude an Alternative to Materialism? by Emily L. Polak, Michael E. McCullough, 2006, Journal of Happiness Studies, accessed at http://www.psy.miami.edu/faculty/mmccullough/Papers/gratitude_materialism.pdf

IS YOUR BRAIN MORE POWERFUL THAN THE HOLY SPIRIT WITHIN YOU?

It has been weeks since our family room overhead light went out and yet hardly a day that goes by that I don’t reach for that switch only to be taken aback when nothing happens.  This demonstrates a reality about the brain, which is that upwards of 95 percent of what we do is actually managed by the unconscious or lower part of the brain, rather than the prefrontal cortex, which controls our conscious thoughts. 

Did you get that?   Most of your behavior is not consciously under your control, but is directed instead by well-established neural pathways in your brain that you don’t even realize are there.  I’m not saying we aren’t responsible, but the reality is that we operate on autopilot most of the time, which explains why I keep reaching for that light switch. 

What does this say about our desire to change, to become more like Christ? Are those neural pathways in our brains more powerful than the Holy Spirit who dwells within our souls? 

Of course we know that nothing is more powerful than the Almighty God who chooses to live within us by His Spirit.  But what we may not understand is that God doesn’t bypass these bodies of ours to change us, but instead works through them.  This means that when He calls us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2), He is telling us to get rid of those faulty neural pathways that hum happily along in our unconscious minds, making us do all those things we don’t want to, and to establish new ones in their place that will foster our spiritual growth. 

How do we do this?  The answer is surprisingly simple, and one on which science and Scripture agree.   We alter neural pathways by replacing old habits with new ones.  For example, all of my adult life I have struggled with bingeing on sugar-laden foods, a behavior rooted in neural pathways formed in early childhood.  I can tell you that no amount of meditation on Scripture, no amount of earnest desire, no degree of self-flagellation or confession or even accountability has produced lasting change.   The only thing that works is taking specific steps to change my habits.  In other words, my brain responds to what I actually do—day in and day out—from using a phone app to chart my food intake, to keeping those irresistible cookies and candies out of reach, to planning ahead of time for healthy snacks.  As I incorporate new habits, the neural pathways are being re-formed and I am finally able to experience the change I’ve wanted.

What role does the Holy Spirit have in this?  Every moment along the way, God works within us, both giving us the desire to change and empowering us to do the things He wants us to do (Philippians 2:13).   But if we don’t do our part in practicing new habits over time, those old neural pathways will soon reassert themselves, dragging us back into destructive patterns.  

We might call this the “divine-human cooperative.”  The most helpful New Testament writer I’ve found on this is the Apostle James, who reminds us that “faith without works is useless.”  Faith for Abraham, he tells us, was not only active alongside of his works, but was completed—brought to completion—by his works, or by what he actually did.  In James’ most powerful explanation of why doing matters so much, he writes:

 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.  For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.  For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.  But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. (James 1:22-25)

James used a perfect metaphor to describe our unconscious brain –like looking in a mirror and then forgetting what we saw.  Simply put, when we hear truth or know truth or even meditate on truth, but don’t actually do something with it, we will not change, because that unconscious part of our brain takes over the moment we are no longer thinking about the truth.  In order for what we know to become a part of who we are, it has to move from the conscious brain to the unconscious brain—and that means we have to be doers who act.  The beauty of this is that not only will the doing bring transformation, but in the process we find our joy—as James says, we are blessed—made happy—in the doing.

Can you think of one area in which you have really wanted to see change?  Maybe you’ve tried here and there, but never could understand why it was so hard, or change so short-lived.  I encourage you to start afresh, asking prayerfully: What must I do on a consistent basis to see this change?  

If you want to be more generous, then start doing generous things every day.  If you want to be more compassionate, start practicing compassionate behavior.  If you want to spend time with God, make a plan and determine to stick with it until the neural pathways are well-established.  If you want to stop watching so much TV, set a time limit and abide by it! 

And as you go about establishing this new habit, thank God that He is changing your desires, and ask Him for strength to follow through day by day.  Then get ready to watch the Spirit work powerfully over time to produce in you that change you’ve always wanted.  You will discover along the way that, as James so beautifully promises, happiness is in the doing.