Change

The lessons I’ve learned about change:

1. You can’t force someone to change if they don’t want to.
2. You can’t do the work for them.
3. You can give them all the encouragement, information, inspiration and what have you in the world, but if they don’t want to or aren’t ready to change, you’re just spinning your wheels.
4. They’ll make excuses for why they can’t change and call them reasons. Don’t be fooled.
5. They’ll place the blame for their inability to change on everyone but themselves.
6. Inability is really unwillingness.
7. If they’ve been lying, cheating, and, in general, doing all the wrong things to others and don’t want to change, rest assured that they’re lying, cheating on, and, in general, doing all the wrong things to you, too. And don’t be surprised when you find out the truth.

Sounds hopeless? Here’s the "up" side. If God has given you a promise that things will change, that He’ll make everything right, it will happen. Keep praying for that person. Keep loving that person, and keep your heart open, knowing that it may break often in the process. God will work the circumstances and events of that person’s life in such a way as to lead them to the point of surrender - the point at which they can only give up, give in, and give it all to God.

Now, here’s the hardest part of the lesson: letting go and letting Him bring the change about.