Renew Yourself This Christmas by Lisa Burkhardt Worley

Part One: Renew Your Thinking

We held a Hanukkah/Christmas party at our house Sunday, and afterwards I noticed how awful our bar stools looked. My husband said they’d been worn out for a while. That shows you how observant I am! With company coming to stay at our home this weekend I decided to buy new ones.

What I did not realize is that there would be some assembly required. I asked the sales person if he thought I could put them together myself. I could read by his facial expression he was not certain I could complete the task, but he nodded a weak “yes.”

The boxes also turned out to be larger and heavier than expected, but somehow I lugged them into the house. Afterwards I saw clearly on the boxes that two people were required to lift them. No wonder my back feels pulled this morning!

And there turned out to be more assembly than I initially imagined. Three sets of different sized screws—plus the legs and three different chair parts that had to go together—in correct order. It was enough to cause a panic attack, and in the past I would have thrown up my hands early on and called a handyman. However, this time I did something I’ve not ever tried before. I prayed that I would not be overwhelmed and that the Holy Spirit would guide me through putting the stools together. 

This is just a funny example of renewing your mind, but it makes a great point. Ten years ago, I would have never attempted this project, but because of timing, I was determined to get it done and asked for help from above to complete the the work required. Over the years, I’ve learned that we can ask God for anything because He cares about the details of our lives.

Perhaps you’ve thrown up your hands about a more serious scenario— a difficult conversation you need to have; maybe you’ve already deemed that you will not get along with the unruly family member this Christmas. Perhaps you received a health diagnosis that makes you want to go back to bed and pull the covers over your head. Today, won’t you consider asking the Lord for assistance—to do what you considered impossible before? Will you let God renew your thinking?

I was just reading in the book of Joshua this morning about the Israelites preparing to cross the Jordan River. The officers in charge told the Israelites: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before” (Joshua 3:3–4). The Lord went on to perform a miracle, similar to the parting of the Red Sea, drying up the Jordan (at flood stage) so the Israelites could cross to the other side. Even though they had never been in that neck of the woods, God directed them, and enabled them to do the impossible by drying up a raging river.

What way have you not been before? Are you overwhelmed by the uncertainty? Is your mind already set concerning the situation, or are you willing to let God renew your thinking to walk confidently into uncharted waters?

He can do the work through you, even in something as trivial as assembling bar stools. By the way, I did finish them, and they look pretty good. They even feel secure when I sit on them. However, I know I didn’t put them together by myself. I needed divine help and a renewal of my thinking to complete the task.

What “impossibility do you face today? The Lord God can also help you as well. Will you be willing to let Him change your mindset?