Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (CEV)
How often in my life have I wished for a ‘mulligan’! A ‘do-over’! Here is the word that when I belong to Jesus – I am brand new! The old Jody isn’t just gone but FORGOTTEN!!! Everything in me and about me is NEW!!! Do I know that???
Do I make decisions based on the new me? Do I keep doing the same ‘old habits’ or have I embraced the new me with a new mind of Jesus? I have never thought of myself as pretty. But one of the beautiful things that happened to me the night that I accepted the need of Jesus in my life as Savior is I heard in my heart, “Jody, I love you! You are SO beautiful to me!†I can believe God. He doesn’t lie. He doesn’t make ugliness. He made me beautiful. Do I live like I know that? Not conceited but accepting that I am God’s pretty daughter and of worth – a treasure to be cherished.
Do I live like the new me? Have I identified my God-given gifts? God made me uniquely equipped to do great things for Him. If I allow Him to show me those gifts, I will find joy in doing what I love and have been designed to do. It is never too late to make a course correction in your life and get on track with what ‘puts a fire in your bones’ or makes your spirit ‘leap’ to do it. Why would God want you to be miserable doing something you hate to do?
Do I love like the new me? Jesus said that I was to love God with all my heart and strength. Do the priorities of my life reflect my love for God? Is my life a life of worship of my Lord? Jesus also said I was to love my neighbor. Do I understand the difference between loving a person and liking what they do? Have I learned from Jesus how to hate the sin but love the sinner? If not, I need to read the gospels again! Jesus said I am to love others in the same way I love myself! Once again, I need to look in the mirror and see the love that God has for me and allow that love to just flow through me. I cannot give what I have not received!
If I live as the new me that has been made whole and loved by Jesus, others will notice the change. But even if no one ever lavishes their compliments on this new me, God will bless me and walk to close to me as I serve Him and serve others just as Jesus did.
