Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him. Matthew 4:18-20

When Jesus asked his disciples to follow Him, they left everything and followed Him. From that point on, everything changed. Everything was different. It was the beginning of something great. From that moment on, their lives looked totally different than they had just a few hours prior.

In the the past few months I have left a place that I was at for 9 years, I started a new job, I am helping plant a church, I’m starting a new youth ministry, and I just go engaged! My life today looks totally different than it did just two months ago.

Through that process, I realized that life can change dramatically in the blink of an eye. God could ask you to do something today that will make your life entirely different tomorrow. It’s one of the most exciting things about following God.

If you are in a bad situation, God can bring you into a good situation in one moment.

If you’re out of shape, you could be in great shape in no time!

If you think your best days are behind you, God can make your life better than it’s ever been!

If you’re sick, you could be healed and doing things you weren’t able to do in no time!

If you’re loving where you are, enjoy it! You never know when your life could go another direction!

No matter where you are today, realize that God could turn it around or make it better than it’s ever been in the blink of an eye.

The following is inscribed on the tomb of an Anglican Bishop in Westminster Abby (1100 A.D.) …

When I was young and free and my imagination had no limits, I dreamed of changing the world.

As I grew older and wiser, I discovered the world would not change, so I shortened my sights somewhat and decided to change only my country. But it, too, seemed immovable.

As I grew into my twilight years, in one last desperate attempt, I settled for changing only my family, those closest to me, but alas, they would have none of it.

And now, as I lie on my deathbed, I suddenly realize: If I had only changed myself first, then by example I would have changed my family.

From their inspiration and encouragement, I would then have been able to better my country, and who knows, I may have even changed the world.

**We need to be focused on consistently improving, changing, and bettering one person – ourselves! Once we develop a lifestyle of doing that, God will open up doors for us to make a difference in the lives of others. Chew on that!

“My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.” -Hebrews 12:5,6

If we’re going to become everything that God has called us to be, we’re going to have to be corrected, a lot. We’ve already established that being corrected and coming face to face with reality in our lives can be very difficult and painful.

When correction comes we have two choices: Humble ourselves, become vulnerable, and make changes, or become bitter, ignore the correction, and refuse to change. One leads to life and one leads to living a mediocre & miserable life.

The only way you’ll chose to humble yourself and make changes is if you have the right perspective of correction. Keith Moore said something at Impartation that set me free in this area. He said, “It’s not just correction when the Lord corrects you, it’s preparation.”

The Bible says to not give up when we’re corrected, it wouldn’t say that if we wouldn’t be tempted to. Then it says that God corrects those HE LOVES. When you’re being corrected, realize that God is preparing you for the next season of your life. That should give you hope to press through no matter how hard it gets.

Choose to be humble and vulnerable. Ask people to speak into your life, if they say something you don’t want to hear, don’t get bitter, recognize that they’re speaking into your life because they love you unconditionally and want to see God’s best in your life.

Once you’ve received correction from someone, ask questions, set boundaries, set daily disciplines, and get accountability, and before you know it, God will have taken you to an entirely new level.

Correction does has it’s perks!

Thoughts?