Putting on "a New Self," in God's Image (5.28.15)

Put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. - Colossians 3:10

Faith Believers,

I was going through a difficult stretch. 

Every day a new problem seemed to pile on top of an older one. 

I was increasingly asking, “GOD, why are You allowing all these things to happen?”

“Why?” Small word but a big question.
And at some point, it begins to seem like the biggest question of all.
You want to say to GOD, “Another problem? Really? Don’t I have enough already?”

I asked a friend why GOD was doing these things.
“We don’t always know the reasons,” he said,
“but we can always know the goal.”

I wasn’t sure I understood the difference. He explained further from Colossians 3:10. “GOD is always in the renewal business; His goal is to renew you in knowledge in His own image.”

That was a new thought to me, and it was a timely word. It encouraged me to think less about what GOD was doing to me and more about what He wanted to do within me. I may not have understood much of why the problems were piling up, but I could understand a lot about how I needed to respond.

I needed to “put on the new self,” to more fully embrace the new nature He had created within me, when I came to Christ. I could become more like Christ. If I couldn’t control the problems – and so often we cannot – I could respond by asking for GOD’s help to put on this new self, in His image. 

This would be a new self that trusted in His love, experienced His peace, 

asked for His wisdom and relied on His strength.

Did knowing this make things easier? Maybe a small bit, but difficulties are, well, difficult.  Sometimes even painful. But it did give me hope to get through the difficulties. 

I could be sure that GOD was at work in my life,
and that in the end He would do a good work within me.

    - Marilyn

________

Jesus, 

Thank You for coming into my life
and creating a new nature within me.

Please awaken me to living fully in that new nature
by the power of Your Spirit.

I give you my weaknesses and burdens today,
and I trust that you have already given me
everything I need for life and godliness
to become more like You.

Amen

Final Word:
If you are experiencing pain or hurt, bring it to GOD in prayer.
Ask Him to give you wisdom in how to pray for His intercession.
He is always at work to renew your life.
You can trust Him to carry you through until,
as the Apostle Paul tells us, Christ “is formed in you” (Galatians 4:19).