The change doesn't happen in your head; it happens in your heart.

The change doesn't happen in your head; it happens in your heart. 

As a worshipper of Jesus, we sometimes get so caught up in adhering to a strict set of "rules" and regulations. We seem to be great at making lists of what we can and cannot do, what we're allowed to say, how we can shape our views, and how we can act. But thats just it. Acting. We force ourselves to perform how we're taught to believe a Christian to perform. Because we'll receive praise this way, right? We'll get thrown a biscuit and receive a pat on the back? All because we performed well and  listened to our commands. "Great", we think, "I can rest easy tonight. I acted like a Christian today and did what I was supposed to do." But even if we succeed once, we'll fail 40 times. We can never live up to those expectations by simply changing our thinking and trying to monitor our actions. We can only achieve this lifestyle of love by spending quality time with the creator. Then and only then our actions and desires will align with His. It will be natural to serve Him through our actions and interactions with people, instead of a chore. Spending time soaking in the presence of Jesus truly fuels us, with the most luxurious kind of fuel and it will spill over into every area of our lives. It will be so evident that we've been with Jesus. Just as it says in Acts Chapter 4: It was noticeable that Peter and John had been with Jesus..people could recognize it through their actions. 

"After they found out that Peter and John had no education or special training, they were surprised to see how boldly they spoke. They realized that these men had been with Jesus." -Acts 4:13

But we can't expect to act that way if we haven't been with Him in the first place. Its like trying to perform like a professional ballerina, even when you've never practiced a day in your life, but just presuming you can act like you know what you're doing anyway since you're up onstage in front of the lights. We can't act like Jesus and display His love in everything unless we let Him fully enter into our hearts. We can do this by saying yes to spending time with Him.

I find this to be true in my own life. When I haven't spent time with Jesus, I get frustrated way more easily with people and situations. And I find myself consciously trying to use my human flesh to act with love, grace, and patience because I know its "right". And then I get even more frustrated when I can't do that on my own. I tend to sin more and then feel constant shame because I know "I shouldn't be doing that" or "thinking that", but then after I spend time reading the bible, worshipping, or talking with Jesus- I fully become the woman He created me to be and I can act with the love He intended and make choices He intends for me to make. The love I have in me for others is purely from Him. Anything good and perfect is from the Father. Period. We can do good things, but it all goes back to Him.