I like the movie, “Joe vs. the Volcano.” The plot involves Joe, a former firefighting hero turned sullen factory worker, relegated to a dark and dingy back office. Life has beaten him down and he’s lost sight of his true identity. One dismal day a wealthy stranger shows up, unannounced, at Joe’s shabby apartment and offers him the chance of a lifetime: Live like a king with all expenses paid for a week, travel by luxurious yacht to a tiny South Pacific island, and then jump into a volcano!
After unenthusiastically agreeing to this crazy offer, Joe begins to see himself differently. A stylish haircut, new wardrobe, and a significant conversation with his limo driver, help Joe discover the vibrant, determined hero within.
How many of us think or say, in so many words, “It’s too late for me to change”? We link seemingly unalterable traits to our heritage, our personality type, or our age. But is our claim accurate? Are we literally unable to change, or just unwilling? Granted, a wealthy stranger might not show up at our door, but that doesn’t mean we can’t learn to see ourselves differently.
How we see ourselves constantly colors how we view our circumstances and how we behave. A middle-aged man sees himself as a failure and thus approaches his job and relationships half-heartedly, without hope, just waiting for the next setback. A young mom with constant demands of toddlers feels insignificant, disappointed in herself, and sees no point in physical, spiritual, or mental self-care. We live according to how we see ourselves. And sadly, most of us believe lies that, in our minds, place positive change beyond our reach.
But the truth, the biggest and most important fact in the whole world, is that God loves you and sees beyond your current situation. He offers you a life of complete forgiveness, freedom, courage, and resolve rather than defeat and resignation. This doesn’t mean you’ll get a new wardrobe and a limo driver like Joe. But it does mean that you no longer need to be a victim of your past, of other people’s words, or of lies you’ve believed.
Motivational speakers offer all sorts of tricks and programs to help you feel good about yourself, to deal with guilt, shame, and disappointments. But they aren’t based on someone paying your debt and ensuring eternal forgiveness; they don’t get to the root. Jesus wants us to open our eyes to the truth: “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). The key is simply believing: believing that Jesus’s sacrifice really was enough to cover your sin, believing that God’s love for you is real and endless, and believing that having Christ in you (Colossians 1:27) is more than enough to face any challenge in life.
Stop letting other people or your past limit you. Lift your eyes beyond your current circumstances. And dare to believe that God can do the impossible. Who knows? You may have a surprise ending—Joe did!
Thank you, Carrie – wonderful (spiritual) addendum to the book I’m reading, Atomic Habits. Ties into something I heard recently about those of us who “look in the mirror”, but don’t DO anything about what we see! Like going to work in the a.m. in your PJs with uncombed hair. Thanks for your encouragement that change is not only possible but desired for us and enabled by our Heavenly Father.