Romans 14:22-23 The Message

Cultivate your own relationship with God, but don't impose it on others. You're fortunate if your behavior and your belief are coherent. But if you're not sure, if you notice that you are acting in ways inconsistent with what you believe—some days trying to impose your opinions on others, other days just trying to please them—then you know that you're out of line. If the way you live isn't consistent with what you believe, then it's wrong.

This is what being "authentic" means to me; cultivating my own personal relationship with God based on what I believe He and the Bible say is right and wrong. I understand that sometimes the way people live may appear inconsistent to others because it could have changed from what it was before, whether for good or bad. But change happens. The question is, have you changed your beliefs/behaviors because of a growing and maturing relationship with God? This is easy to explain when someone questions you on the noticeable difference in your life. Or did you change to try and please others and, as a result, now live a life that is based on wrong/out-of-line/inconsistent beliefs?

I want to pursue this relationship with God and welcome healthy change in my life. I want my spiritual habits and actions to have meaning based on a desire to do them rather than an obligation. I want to talk to God first, before sharing and asking the advice of others. I want more coworkers or family members or even strangers to ask me about my behavior so that I can tell them about God. Or even better, I want to speak more about God to everyone than I currently do. If I say "I am second" or "God, Others, Me" - then isn't it about time I start acting that way?

Happy New Year!