Colossians 3:8-10
But now you must stop doing such
things. You must quit being angry, hateful, and evil. You must no longer
say insulting or cruel things about others. And stop lying to each
other. You have given up your old way of life with its habits.
Each of you is now a new person. You are becoming more and more like your Creator, and you will understand him better.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
There was a time not so long ago when I could hardly bear to look at pictures of myself as a younger woman. I saw
the “girl” in photos with long blond hair, a slender figure and tanned
skin, and I wondered, “What in the world happened?!” Despite Greg’s best
efforts to assure me that this 58-year-old version of “me” is totally
fine, these pictures made me a little sad.
But I have come to
terms with embracing the young woman in those pictures…and also the
“older model” in more recent ones. Because you see, I hope that the
woman I am today is more and more in step with who Jesus wants me to
be. And that is the goal – or at least, it should be!
The more I
know about Jesus – and the more I KNOW Him…the more I want to let go of
things like judgment, anger, jealousy, gossip, bad attitudes,
frustration, impatience, cynicism, skepticism, discrimination, and
more…and emulate Him as closely as possible. I want to focus on finding
joy in Him…trusting in His promises…and in the delight of sharing His
message with others. I understand that I will miss the mark
often…probably daily! But I keep trying!
There are still traces
of the young woman in this older model…but I hope they are the better
qualities! I am grateful that God has blessed me with good health and
energy, so that I can be the wife, daughter, aunt, sister and friend
that He has called me to be. I am thankful for opportunities to serve
Him – at home, in my church and community…and in the world at large. I
pray that He will continue to work in me so that I am constantly
evolving and changing…for the better.
What about you? Are you
stuck in a rut…still mired in the same ways and habits of your old,
sinful life? Or have you fully committed to becoming a new creature in
Christ? Have you embraced who Jesus is calling you to be…and are you
working becoming that person? Are you making every effort to know Jesus
better and to operate under the guidance of His Holy Spirit? Do you
like who you are today…and more importantly, does Jesus like this
“model” of you? Will this be the day that you let go of old ways and
habits and go “all in” for Him? Don’t you think it should be?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label changing attitudes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label changing attitudes. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for May 16, 2013
May 16 ~ Ephesians 4:1-3
Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
A wonderful Christian friend of mine shared a video on Facebook from Upworthy.com* about how we look at adulthood… and the choices we make. A lot of what seems boring or mundane to us has to do with how we choose to see things. We can look at a long grocery check-out line as an aggravation and inconvenience… or a chance to pray. We can be irritated by the lady ahead of us with two kids tugging on her who is in a discussion with the cashier over a grocery coupon… or see her as a busy working mother who is struggling to make ends meet and really needs that extra $1 off her bill. We can see the oversized cars in the traffic lanes as road hogs… or we can recognize that this may be a vehicle that young parents chose because of its sturdiness and safety factors for hauling their little ones back and forth to daycare and other destinations.
And so it is with those who try our patience. We can choose to see their faults and flaws and the things about them that drive us nuts… or we can try to see what God sees… another of His creations…someone who is just as precious and has just as much potential – and is just as flawed - in His eyes as you and I. We can be humble and gentle and recognize that every person has a story… there is a heartache on every pew (as my pastor often says) – and in every grocery line and traffic lane. We can recognize that we do not corner the market on God’s love… or on His patience. We can do better at making an effort to stay united in the Spirit and operating from a place of peace.
If we are truly born-again, Spirit-filled Christians, we must choose to operate more from the place in our hearts where the Holy Spirit resides and less from our human desires. We must call on the Holy Spirit to guide our thoughts, actions… and choices… and to grant us an extra-hefty dose of patience in many instances. And He will do this… and the shift in our attitude will be palpable and fully obvious… in our own daily living – and in the lives of those around us.
What do you say? Are you leading a life worthy of your calling by God? Are you seeing even the most trivial and seemingly insignificant moments as opportunities to exercise humility, gentleness, and patience… a chance to choose peace over stress, strife, or even momentary irritation? Isn’t it time we shifted our attitude in this area and began to choose according to the Holy Spirit? Are you ready to answer the call?
©2013 Debbie Robus
*http://www.upworthy.com/the-earth-shatteringly-amazing-speech-that-ll-change-the-way-you-think-about-adulthood-4?g=4
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