Changing Our Patterns
By Tim Jones - God’s Great Outdoors
Colossians 3:10
“And having put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him”.
The outdoors provides new discoveries, new opportunities, and new adventures each day. Encountering the unexpected can be the fuel that fires the outdoorsman. The outdoors and nature is often full of surprises and is ever changing. The outdoorsmen must adapt to changing conditions and going about things the same way because that’s the way we always have done it may limit the experience and success.
New tactics in a familiar territory, a discovery of new unsuspected game coverts, the strike of a fish from unproductive water are some of the happenings that brighten the day of the sportsman. I experienced this very occurrence recently on fishing trips to Canada. I had passed a certain area of the lake several times and had failed to explore or fish the water. When I decided to change my pattern, what I found was an underwater rock ridge that came up close to the surface and dropped off on both sides of the ridge into deeper water. This structure held large schools of nice walleye and became a very productive area.
Don’t get me wrong, it is often wise to revisit areas or employ tactics that have proved themselves in the past, but it is also wise to be receptive to new ideas that could broaden your repertoire and even increase the chance for greater success.
As Christians, we can experience newness everyday. We are new creatures in Christ and there are unlimited opportunities to live for and because of our Lord Jesus. Just like getting in a rut in fishing and hunting, it is easy to get lazy and content in living out our call to serve Christ and our fellow man. God has given each of us gifts and talents to be used for His glory. We are instructed and commanded to use these gifts for Him and His kingdom. We have been commanded to follow Him and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world around us. In Colossians 4:22-24, we are told to put off the old man and put on the new man and be renewed in the spirit of your mind.
This renewal is not a one-time event, but a daily process. We read scripture, pray, and choose to set our minds on what is right. As we do, patterns shift, old habits are lost, and our desires change. These shifts help us recognize God’s will for our lives and give us the power to act differently.
It’s time to get away from doing the same old, same old. What new adventure is awaiting you? God has a new trail of adventure for you if you will heed His calling and “make the move.” We must be willing to listen to the Holy Spirit's leading and allow Him to renew our thinking.
Isaiah 43:19 “Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it?”.....
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