Genuinely Changed People

I have often said, "I believe that people can change.  They just rarely do."  This cynical statement is meant not only for those I observe, but for me as well.  It seems like the times I have pressed hardest for the presence of the disciplines in my life have also been the most legalistic times of my life.  I must.  I should.  I have to.  To mandate the disciplines is certainly "the way of death."  The judgment of the law is always the sentence of death. 

Failure with the disciplines is sure when "I have to" or "I must" or even "I should" are the guiding inclinations.  The "I can" of the humble heart empowered by God is the only source of real power when it comes to the disciplines.  The "I can" when it is accompanied by "through Christ" and not "I can because I can" releases the power of God in my personal universe.  Through Christ I can!!!!! 

One of my favorite quotes in this book is "Our world is hungry for genuinely changed people.  Leo Tolstoy observes, 'Everybody thinks of changing humanity and nobody thinks of changing himself.'  Let us be among those who believe that the inner transformation of our ives is a goal worthy of our best effort."

Over the next 12 weeks I am going to give my best effort to allow God to change and transform my simple life through the disciplines.  I hope you follow Foster with me as we move into the "inward disciplines" tomorrow.

See you on the path.