Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. Romans 13:14 (NIV)
If you think about something long enough, it will become real to you.
If you keep thinking about how much you hate your job, how you hate where you live, or how little you love your spouse, you’re going to be in trouble. What begins as just a thought will become an unshakable belief, and you’ll begin to live out that belief.
The same is true when it comes to thinking about things you want to change about yourself. Some believers keep thinking things like, I can’t stop lying. I’m just not a patient person. My kids just don’t like me. I can’t control my temper. I’ll never get ahead. I’m always sick and tired. Those thoughts are illusions of the old nature we all had before we gave our lives to Christ, but that illusion can have a big impact on your life if you don’t begin to understand that you’ve been made new.
Ephesians 4:22–24 teaches us to put off our former conduct, which determined our previous way of life. Instead, we need to be constantly renewed in the spirit of our minds with God’s Word. That’s how you begin to live like the new creation you are—by meditating on God’s Word until His thoughts, values and priorities become more real to you than your old ways!
You’ve been made new, and you can put off all your old habits and choose to put on Christ-like characteristics. I challenge you to meditate on Colossians 3:12–17 this week and choose to practice one of the characteristics it mentions: kindness, humility, meekness, long- suffering, forgiveness, love, peace, or gratitude.