Something Has to Change... You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. 25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 “In your anger do not sin”[a]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:22-32 Why is it challenging for us to follow a godly path? Two conflicting tendencies exist within every believer: the patterns of the corrupted old self—or “the flesh”—and the righteousness of a new nature in Christ. The characteristics of these opposing inclinations are vividly portrayed in today’s verses. The quality of forgiveness, or the lack of it, will largely determine which tendency prevails in our lives. The inevitable result of unforgiveness is anger, bitterness, and malice. By refusing to forgive, we allow the old flesh nature to dominate and produce its poisonous fruit. Every area of our life is affected when we refuse to extend to others the pardon Christ so generously extended to us—in essence, we are treating those around us as we would never want the Lord to treat us. Thankfully, His mercy toward us has no limit. Although the pain and injustice of an offense can break our heart or damage our sense of self-worth, a refusal to forgive denies God the opportunity to redeem the hurt. We want Him to change the offender and make him sorry for what he has done, but the Lord wants to transform us. Forgiveness frees us to live in our new Christlike nature and enables us to see others through eyes of grace and mercy. Look again at verses 31 and 32. Which one describes you? As believers, we all long to exhibit the qualities of our new nature, but the Lord can produce them only if we are willing to exchange offenses and grudges for tender hearts that forgive. Something has to change—let it be you.
Posted on: Thu, 17 Jul 2014 19:21:02 +0000
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