READY

READY

Families often celebrate special days and holidays with traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation. Attempting to keep prior traditions consistent for both families, a young couple travelled to the home of each of their parents for the holidays. However, the situation was particularly complicated at Christmas. Each set of parents went to church on Christmas Eve and opened presents on Christmas morning. The young couple couldn’t be at two different places at the same time. Hurt feelings always seemed to be the result of their good intentions to honour their families’ traditions.

In order to help this young couple, one of the families expressed a willingness to change some of their time-honoured customs. After some experimentation, they discovered that some of their traditions were important enough to keep the same, while others could be changed or dropped altogether. They even added some new activities for their holiday celebrations.

By allowing God into every area of our lives, we demonstrate our willingness to change, allowing him free rein to remove our character defects. This readiness requires our ultimate surrender and involves some pain and resistance. Some of our old habits can stay the same, other coping mechanisms can be changed and still other behaviours must be dropped completely. Such nonproductive, habitual behaviours can be replaced with new and better activities. For example, instead of devoting time to our old hang-ups, compulsions and obsessions, we can attend recovery meetings and church activities and volunteer for service.

 Most, if not all, of us, would be more than willing to leave behind certain character defects. The sooner the better. But let’s face it: Some defects are hard to give up. An alcoholic may hit bottom and be ready to stop drinking. But is she ready to stop lying? To stop being greedy? To let go of resentments? These defects of character have been with us for a long time. Like weeds in a garden, they’ve developed roots. We’ve formed our defects of character, our hang-ups and habits over periods of ten, twenty, thirty or more years. 

We need to remember that sin is the symptom of a character defect. That sin is like a weed in a garden: It will keep reappearing unless it’s pulled out by the roots—the actual character defect that caused the particular sin or allowed it to happen. A sex addict’s major sin may have been cheating on his wife. That was the act. The defect of character was his lack of a positive self-image. 

God is amazingly patient. He didn’t impose his will on us but waited for us to invite him in. Now, we need to be willing to let God into every area of our life. He won’t come in and clean up an area unless we invite him in.

It has been said that “willingness is the key that goes into the lock and opens the door that allows God to begin to remove your character defects.” Psalm 143:10 invites, “Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.”

Take a Look:

• What are some character defects you’re more than ready to give up?

• What are some character defects that will be harder for you to let go of?

• Can you explain the difference, specifically, between your character defects and your sins?

• In Psalm 143:10, what does “level ground” mean to you?