“Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.

So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” – 2 Corinthians 5:14-17 (NLT)

True change begins when we accept Christ into our hearts and give ourselves fully to His care.  When we live in Him, our identity and direction are no longer constrained by the way the world sees us, but are instead freed to experience the peace and joy He desires for our lives.  Therefore, as we approach this New Year and the world pulls at us to make resolutions for change, all we need do is draw closer within the gentle embrace of our Savior and allow Him to transform us.