Seeking Change

I know I've been changed / Angels in heaven done sign my name

-Lyrics from Negro spiritual

People seek change.  In fact, many people speak of change as if change itself is an elixir to all of the issues and problems that they and others face.  Many organizations talk it up when they state that they are undergoing change.  New year's resolutions are filled with change running throughout the entire concept.  President Obama swept the nation with a campaign full of change.  Change is on the tip of the tongues of many.

The church is called to change.  So many prayers go up about change that it can become dizzying when one visits a local church's prayer meetings or prayer vigils.  Yet, much of what is prayed about to change deals with the external things.  God may or may not change them.  However, the earnest request of the Christian should be to seek internal change.  The Christian must seek to be changed from the inside out.

Christians in ministry leadership should seek to identify what change needs to occur within themselves before pleading with the Lord to change the hearts of the people under their leadership.  Start with seeking change for yourself, and then demonstrate the change that comes about for you.  Seek to live out your change right before the eyes of your people, making a difference by behaving and operating differently.  Become changed.

The Christian in business is no different.  Many Christians may not work in a Christian-friendly environment, but that doesn't mean that they must become a product of their environment.  These same Christians must stand out as shining examples of Christian strength in the workplace.  They cannot simply seek God and hope for everything around them to change, leaving them as they were before.  No, they must change as well.  Situations arise for a reason.  We must learn the life lesson out of all that we encounter.  Yet, we must be aware that the change that needs to occur might just need to start within us before we can see any change going on around us.

Seek change.  See the change that may need to come about within you and through you.