God loves us the way we are but too much to leave us that way. — Leighton Ford
That’s just the way I am.
Ever said that phrase about yourself? We probably all have at some point in our lives. We are so accustomed to doing things the way we’ve always done them that imagining making a change fills our minds with discouragement. Maybe we said this to our best friend after they told us we hurt their feelings. Perhaps we told our spouse this so that they won’t expect too much from us in a certain area. It’s possible we have believed this about ourselves because changing the thing that makes us have this mindset feels incredibly overwhelming.
So, we just stay the way we are.
There’s good news, though. The Bible tells us that if we are in Christ, we are new creations. That’s right— as Christ followers, we are literally new people. Our old lives are gone and our new lives have begun. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (TPT) says, “the old order has vanished.”
But, we aren’t just hard on ourselves, are we? Let’s turn this to those we encounter. Have you ever said, “He’ll never change”? If we haven’t let the phrase leave our lips, most assuredly it’s been in our heart. We see people mess up again and again. They do the same awful things and say the same dreadful words that tear down and annihilate others, and they never change. And we don’t think they ever will. Yet, if 2 Corinthians 5:17 is true for us, then it can be true for them as well.
Instead of us thinking that change and spiritual growth will never occur in their lives, let’s believe and hope for the best—not only in ourselves but also in others. Let’s recognize the things about our character that need adjusting and strive to bring the best version of ourselves to the table. We are all works in progress, but while we are in that state of progress, we can still rest in the truth that in Christ, we are made new.
“But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.””
Matthew 19:26 NKJV
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