I can see the difference, I really can. Looking at the person coming into their own identity, I can see the changes in character, in beliefs, and in self-awareness, that are making them a new individual. It is easier to talk about people we both know, drawing on shared observations explain the impact, but it is too easy to get distracted.
Look at yourself. If one assesses the difference between the way you and I are today versus what we were like six months ago, is there a difference? I can see it in you. I see and feel it in myself. When I begin to note the changes, I catalog the external – behavior, actions, attitudes, decisions, and statements. I know I am only writing descriptors of symptoms that are indicators at best! The leading indicators point to something more substantial – beliefs, values, and priorities! Have these changed in your life? What difference is it making?
In marking the beginning of a new phase in life (introspective reflection), I find myself looking at major shifts in beliefs, values, and priorities. Why? What made the difference? What was the big impact that marked the change between last year and now?
The answer is simple. God, especially through the process of listening for Her voice on behalf of someone I hold dear to my heart. I looked for God and He found me. I listened for God’s still small voice; I found a God aggressively reaching out for you and me. I let go, quit running, and felt arms wrap completely around me. As a result, I am different. “God’s way of putting people right shows up in the acts of faith, confirming what Scripture has said all along: ‘The person in right standing before God by trusting him really lives.’” (Romans 1.17)
As I look to you, I know a journey with God is underway. I see God working in your life and it scares me. The journey will be wild – ups, downs, and radical ascents and descents. The journey is the way one lives, really lives.
