25 So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. 26 And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 for anger gives a foothold to the devil.
28 If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. 29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
30 And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.
31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
Lifestyle
In our Extreme Faith series, we talked about what it means to live differently. In fact, the final part of that series zeroed in on living by faith in the area of lifestyle (you can see the video here). The fact is, you can’t live differently without trusting God.
And Paul drives home that point with today’s passage. He lists a number of areas where we should see change in our lifestyle. And yet, at first glance it almost seems like Paul is minimizing the power of these things. For example, if you’ve ever struggled with anger (and trust me, as a redhead, I’ve battled this one!), you know that it’s not as easy as just not getting angry. Just because someone says, “Look, don’t get angry anymore.” You don’t go, “Oh, okay. Now that you’ve mentioned it. I’ll stop getting angry.”
We don’t have the strength or ability to change our lifestyle on our own. We need God’s help. We need the Spirit of God to work from within our hearts. And Paul is saying exactly that. If you remember, yesterday he suggest that we need to “let the Spirit” do these things.
And so, as you look at this list, don’t get discouraged. Instead, allow it to be motivation for continually giving your life over to God’s leading. As you do, you’ll be amazed at how quickly those areas change within your life.
My prayer: Lord, you know that my desire to change is real. And yet, I do struggle at times. I struggle when I attempt to take over control of how I change. Yes, there are certainly things I must do. However, to do them without your help would be foolish and futile. And so, help me. I give permission to your Spirit to change those areas of my life. Amen.
Until tomorrow.
