Hello everyone!
You've heard the expression, "if the shoe fits, wear it!" or simply "if the shoe fits..."
I am here to tell you if the shoe fits, change shoes. In other words, if you know you do certain things or behave a certain way and you want to change that, change your thinking and change your approach to that issue in your life. In effect, you "change shoes" by changing your mind set and not putting on the same thoughts. It has been said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. That has never been more true! Continuing to put the same "shoes" on because you don't think you can change is in fact insanity. Continuing to put on the same "shoes" because you think you know better is also insanity - I promise you, you not only don't know better, you are missing out on a better life.
I've had to change "shoes" several times in my life. It's not always fun and it can be hard work but it is always worth it. I was once a very impatient person. I was once a somewhat proud, smug person. Those were shoes that fit but they weren't worth wearing. Those "shoes" were impeding the path God had for me and they were slowing my progress. They were "shoes" I had to change. I had to stop doing the same thing and wearing the same "shoes" if I wanted to live differently and live richly. Impatience, pride and an I-don't-care-attitude doesn't win people over and they don't show much love. The only thing they accomplish is making you feel an overblown sense of importance. In fact, those "shoes" didn't fit well, they were clunky, heavy and kept tripping me up.
I chose instead to put on patience, humility and love. These "shoes" fit me much better. They are not heavy and they don't trip me up. They draw me closer to people and to God. I can walk the path He has for me much more easily and I can even run when the situation calls for it. I could have never run with impatience, pride and I-don't-care laced up on my feet. Now don't get me wrong, I don't care about what people think of me and my new "shoes." I am also not a pushover. I want to tell you that putting on these new "shoes" has been a process of years in the making with plenty of stumbling along the way. I still don't get it right every time - I want to go back and put on my old "shoes". Our old "shoes" and ways of thinking are comfortable, easier and they don't stretch us like new "shoes" and new ways of thinking. I think we all struggle with "going back" at times but I can tell you I would never go back to those old "shoes." Those old "shoes" don't represent the fullest life I can live - they only represent a fraction of the life I can live because they only allowed me to focus on me. That's not exactly big thinking is it?
I want to encourage all of you reading this today to change your "shoes!" You can do life differently! You don't have to put on the same old "shoes" everyday and live the same old way. If the shoe fits, change shoes! Change your thoughts and the way you react to people and situations. You can live a different life. You can live a better life. Yes you are going to be stretched but it will all be worth it! Change your "shoes!"
Until next time,
Elizabeth