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; to be made new in the attitude of your minds.
Ephesians 4:22-23 NIV
Your Old Self
Most new Canadians go through four stages of adjustment when they arrive in this country – euphoria at first, followed by disenchantment, gradual adjustment, and finally, acceptance. People can experience them at different times in their lives, regardless of the number of years living in a new country. The stages of adaptation are not always linear, meaning you don’t always finish one stage and move to the next. Instead, the stages of adaptation are more like a spiral, where you might progress in some areas while still experiencing challenges in others.
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James, the half-brother of Jesus, who became one of the apostles, tells us that we must not simply be readers of the Word, but doers – we spoke about this just a few days ago. But that can only happen as we allow God to transform us from the inside out. Then, in the way we live our lives, others will see Jesus through us. The apostle Paul speaks to this in Ephesians 4:22-23: “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; to be made new in the attitude of your minds.” We know from experience that the battle for a Jesus-like life begins in the mind. It is there that temptation is birthed, and it is there that we discern what God’s Word calls us to be and do. As we take time engaging in God’s Word, Paul says, as our minds begin to be molded into the attitude of Christ, we discover that we no longer desire to live as we once did, but by the Holy Spirit, who is Christ in us.
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley