22/365

January 22, 2015

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." 2 Corinthians 5:17

I used to be a party girl.  I loved to drink and smoke pot.  I didn't really have many long term goals other than graduating from college and getting a job.  I was the kind of person who felt like if you can't help me, I can't deal with you  I was very selfish and self serving.  If it was not convenient for me, I was hard pressed to do it.  Sure, I had my moments.  Don't we all?  But for the most part, I was all about PATRICIA!

I could and would hold on to a grudge.  I took pride in this characteristic.  Any little thing someone did to me, I'd use it as an excuse to shut them out.  And if you hurt me, I'd do what I could to hurt you back.

Then I met Jesus.  I am not sure what I expected.  My life to get easier, and for me to be happier, maybe...Life didn't get easier.  And I am still not always happy.  But I will say this, who I am today is far from who I was then.  One of the first things I noticed was that God took away the desire to drink and party.  That was really hard for me to give up.  I always felt like I'd be missing something.  I do remember thinking to myself at one point that the drinking and partying had gotten out of hand. I also remember thinking and reading something about going to God and asking for help.  (John 14:13-14).  So I surrendered to God through fasting and prayer and asked Him to take away the taste for alcohol from me.  And He did.

There are times when I am still challenged with anger.  After praying one day about that, God revealed to me that I am a new creation in Christ.  That means, I am free from the anger.  I was feeling discouraged because I'd been praying and praying about the anger and frustration, when I had the following thought about being a new creation:

I am in Christ Jesus, right?  So if I am in Christ Jesus, doesn't that make me a new creation in Him?  Yes! So if I am a new creation in Christ, that means that the old stuff has passed away.  So...anger was a part of the old me. 

Now I am not talking about valid anger.   We have that emotion for a reason.  It is how we handle it that matters.  Jesus got angry and flipped tables in the temple (Mark 11:!5).  I am speaking on unreasonable anger that leads to ugly thoughts about people and messes with my peace.

This characteristic is a part of the old me.  It has passed away and all things have become new.  I have a new attitude that lines up with Christ, I have a new mind and a new approach.  I am no longer chained to that anger.  

This is a promise of God. He has given me freedom in Christ Jesus.  He has given me victory over this anger and anything else that does not line up with His character, through Christ.  My task is to accept the freedom He has given me, wholeheartedly and stop living like a prisoner in a meadow.

PAG