Welcome to the One Word at a Time Blog Carnival.
This week’s word is: Renewal
If you’re new to the blog carnival, what happens is everyone who wants to writes a blog post on the same subject. They then share links to their posts at one central location so anyone and everyone can read all of the entries.
The location is here and the subject this week is the word RENEWAL.
Feel free to write a post on your own post and share it here or just enjoy reading the diversity of the posts that others have written.
p.s. Don’t forget to include the #owaat hashtag whenever you tweet about the carnival!
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Here’s my entry:
How We Approach Renewal
When I think of the word ‘renewal’, two things come to mind:
- The blessing of God changing our lives
- My business
The two may not have a whole lot in common but the later can teach us a lot about our attitude toward the first.
A Business Example
I work in a business where every twelve months, my clients have to renew their subscription to my hosting services.
I’ve been doing this for about seven years and it never ceases to amaze me how differently people approach this yearly inconvenience.
- Some renew almost as soon as I send out the first renewal notice, even though it’s still a while before the renewal date
- Some wait until they’re within a week or so of the renewal date to renew but ensure they do it in plenty of time still.
- Some wait until the day the renewal is due and renew exactly on time, not a day early and not a day late.
- Others wait until the due date has passed and then, sheepishly, send through the payment.
- Others still wait until they’re so far past their renewal date that they’re about to get cut off.
- and others wait too long and miss their opportunity.
A Spiritual Parallel
The same is true of the renewal that Jesus offers, both the ‘renewal’ of forgiveness from sin and new life in Him and the renewal of our minds and spirits when things start weighing us down.
- How many of us jump at the first opportunity for renewal?
- How many of us wait a while and suffer alone with our problems when we don’t need to?
- How many of us wait even longer, until we’re pas breaking point and God has to start picking up the pieces of our broken lives?
- How many of us, still, wait too long and never accept the offer of renewal until it’s too late?
I know I am guilty of waiting… and waiting… and waiting, like I’m trying to serve some kind of penance for whatever got me into the state I’m in.
God must get mightily frustrated with me running around ignoring his outstretched hand day after day after day.
How about you? How good are you at accepting renewal from Jesus when you need it?
Do you try to foolishly shoulder your burden alone like I do?
We wait because we believe some lie.
“It won’t matter.”
“It’s not necessary.”
“Something else is more important.”
…
“I’m not worthy.”
How gracious our Lord is to show us such patience!
GREAT illustration, Peter!
Thanks, Anne!
Comparing your business to the Renewal in Christ, was an excellent example. May I always jump at the first need for renewal! Even if it is a bit more difficult thsse days for me to jump!
Thanks, Hazel.
You can jump on the inside if the outside doesn’t want to 🙂
I had two bills waiting for payment – you encouraged me to pay them now,
That is a findamental question, Peter – how long do we wait for renewal? It is possible to wait too long – and it never comes.
Exactly!
Thanks for coming by, Glynn!
Peter, what a great analogy! How close to do we cut it before we seek renewal? I like to leave room for a lot of margin in most things; I pray I’ll do the same with renewal.
Thanks for hosting us. I look forward to reading around today.
Thanks, Lisa.
I pray that everyone does the same!
i should seek and accept renewal in the Spirit and in the word. but it is against my human nature. so seeking it might be a step toward obedience and worship.
Ain’t that the truth! 🙂
Peter:
Thanks for starting this! It made me actually do a blog post which I have not done for weeks.
I guess I need a push every now and again. (Mostly now and always again).
I like it.
🙂
Glad we could help. 🙂
I paid the household bills. For about 2 months. My husband took over when he realized that I’ll either every single bill as soon as it comes in (thereby draining the checking account) or put them in a “to do” pile and forget about them. I’m sort of an all or nothing thinker. Maybe it’s my short attention span. Wait…what were we talking about?
I forget now…
That is a perfect example, Peter. What a parallel. He gives us so many opportunities for renewal, but we have to respond. Good word. Thanks so much.
Thanks, Jason.
I love the way you drew the parallel. Great post!
Thanks, Helen.
I appreciate it
Through ups and downs in life … I’ve discovered that life is better if I structure times of being still, so I can be renewed. I don’t have to do life by myself … there is love and renewal waiting if I take time to receive.