Change Something, Change You - Daily Hope with Rick Warren - May 21, 2017

Change Something, Change You
By Rick Warren

“Let us examine our ways and turn back to the Lord” (Lamentations 3:40 GNT).

You can’t change everything. But you can change you.

When your life feels like it’s falling apart, knowing what you can change — and what you can’t change — can make all the difference.

You can’t change your past. You can’t change your parents. You can’t change the gifts and talents God has or hasn’t given you. You can’t bring back a dead loved one.

Perhaps it’s time to accept all of those things. You’ll start to find peace in the midst of troubles when you accept what you can’t change. Otherwise, you’ll make yourself and the people you love miserable.

There’s much you can’t change, but there’s something important you can change: you.

When Jeremiah’s world was falling apart, he wrote this in Lamentations 3:40: “Let us examine our ways and turn back to the Lord” (GNT).

What’s going on in your life that doesn’t line up with what God wants? Depending on how we react, crises can help us as we learn to focus our eyes on what matters: Jesus.

To reorder your life God’s way, it’ll take some gut-level self-evaluation. You’ll need to do an inventory of every area of your life. You’ll need to take a look at your relationship with God, your spouse, your kids, and your co-workers. You’ll need to look at hurts, habits, and hang-ups that may be bringing you down. Nothing can be off limits.

It’s not easy. It can get messy. It’s always tough to turn from sin even when it’s tearing us down.

But you can’t find healing otherwise. Healing apart from repentance can’t last. When your world is falling apart, you’ll be tempted to bemoan every area of your life.

That’s a waste of time. You can’t change everything — but you can change you.

And when your world is falling apart, that can mean everything.

Play today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

• What one thing in your life can you change right now that will make a positive impact on yourself and others?
• Who can help you ask yourself the hard questions about your priorities, relationships, and secret sins as you take a spiritual inventory of your life?

For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!

How To Get Through What You're Going Through Study Kit

Find the strength you need to get though life’s toughest trials!

Loss is a part of life. But it’s in your seasons of suffering that God wants to lavish his incredible grace and mercy on you – and give you the true and lasting peace that only come from him.

Pastor Rick and Kay Warren experienced the loss of their son, Matthew, whose 27-year battle with mental illness led to the tragic loss of his life. They’ve taken the lessons they learned through their own personal experiences with loss and suffering and created a resource that will help anyone navigating through a difficult season.

This devotional © 2017 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

You can listen to Rick Warren on OnePlace.com.