Day 2281 of the 7 day Bible verse challenge.


Colossians 3:3 NIV

Is it weird to be excited to talk about death? In most circumstances that we're used to the answer is yes. But when it comes to our faith, death is one of the most crucial parts of the process. Not the final, last breath version that we immediately think about. Although if we're right with God then that will be pretty exciting too! But I'm talking about the passing away of our old lives. That kind of death should get us all jacked up!

Yesterday I shared a bit about the changes that God has led me through in recent years. I seriously cannot believe that old me was actually me. Looking back on the things I did, the things that I thought were important, the way that I lived, I can't believe how different I am today. And I am way beyond thankful for that! As I said yesterday, I wouldn't trade who I am now for who I was back then. And I will keep on fighting to grow and do better every day.

That's the point of the Gospel. It isn't about who we used to be. It's not about the things we used to do. It's about change. It's putting those old messed up ways to death and living for something better. It's trading the old dirty version of ourselves for the new clean version that Christ purchased on the cross. It's about letting go of anything and everything that once defined us and moving forward with the knowledge that we're defined by His grace.

You see, we get stuck on repeat. We think that our pasts have this power to determine our future. But that's only the case if we keep doing the same things we've always done. However, if we leave those ways behind and strive to learn from Christ and follow His path for us then the past has no power. Through Him it's nothing but the first half of the story before the victorious second part. So don't think that you're destined to be who you've always been. Through Christ you are free to be something new, something better!

Who we've been doesn't matter near as much as who we are starting today. What we've done in the past has been covered by grace. And that grace gives us the opportunity to live better lives starting right here and right now. So yes, a part of us dies when we turn to Christ. But it's the part that kept us away from Him. It's the part that kept us living in shame and carrying regret. It's the part that was lost in sin and losing hope every single day. Don't know about you, but yeah, I'm good with that part of me dying because it means that I get to live in Christ from here on!

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