(Photo credit: Nicolette Kilgro)

The leaves are changing in Asheville and it’s absolutely beautiful. I don’t think I would ever want to move away from this place. Can it just stay Fall forever? The colorful trees with their bright yellow, red, and orange leaves scattered above and below causes me to stop and take notice often.

Today as I gazed at the leaves I was reminded of one simple word: change.

Change means to make or become different. For some, change can be hard, eye-opening and messy but the change inside of a person can be something so beautiful and radical if we allow it. I can attest.

As of lately, I have been currently working on a lot of change in my heart and in my mind with the help of counseling (again) alongside my husband. I am learning new tools and exercises to overcome negative self-talk.

The other day I woke up in a funk. My emotions and feelings felt out of whack and I could quickly feel lies twist my thoughts and influence my actions.

On this particular day, I felt like I failed. I began to think all “the work” and change that I have been putting in lately seemed in vain. I thought to myself, “I will always be this way. The struggle will always be there. I will never change.” 

Have you ever thought this about yourself? Questioning if you will ever change?

Sometimes making changes in ourselves nearly feels impossible. Change can feel like it’s right in front of you but so out of reach.

I quickly texted a friend and shared honestly with her my thoughts and asked for prayer. She encouraged me by telling me, “You are complete in Christ, he has covered any imperfections you ever had. Rest in that and stomp the Devils lies. When we believe the lies it makes us paralyzed to do Gods work.”

She was exactly right. I knew these things but I hadn’t allowed myself to believe them that day. I quickly told myself, “I may be in a season of change but I will always be complete in Christ. He has covered all of my imperfections. It is okay to mess up. I am human after all.”

If this is you today, He has covered your imperfections.

What if we allowed ourselves to go through change all the while knowing we might mess up? What would begin to happen?

I’ll tell ya.

A whole lot of GRACE. We will slowly begin to show ourselves more and more grace overtime and we won’t be as hard on ourselves because with grace there is no condemnation. Lies will eat away at us, but grace makes us alive and saves us. Grace is freely given (Ephesians 2:8).

I don’t have it all together and maybe you don’t either. Maybe you are realizing some hard parts about yourself that needs attentiveness and care in this season. Maybe you are wanting to overcome certain struggles but it actually happening seems so far off.

Before you lose heart, be reminded like my friend reminded me the other day,

You are complete in Christ. Your imperfections have already been covered.

During your current season of struggle or “change” God is creating something so beautiful and radical inside of you. Change can be good and viewed differently if we would just begin to stop, reflect, and tell ourselves the truth. We aren’t perfect. We are bound to mess up. It’s okay to take time to heal and grace covers it all.

When it’s time, God will use this change going on inside of your heart to shine for his glory (Matthew 5:16). We can’t allow lies and condemnation to hinder what God wants us to do in us now or in the coming future. Our hearts and minds can’t take it. I know mine can’t.

Allow yourself permission to go through the process of whatever change you may be facing in your season or in your heart all the while knowing that it will be an imperfect journey yet grace-filled.

Today, tomorrow, and the day after.