Possibilities

“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; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Eph. 4: 22-24

I love the beginning of a new year! Like a blank canvas on which to paint a new picture, a new year is filled with endless possibilities for the future. There are new resolutions, new plans, and new dreams all of which seem achievable in my mind. I can make the choice to focus on my writing, speaking and teaching. I can resolve to get my house re-organized, the gardens edged and composted. This may be the year that I finally clean out those closets and re-structure my filing systems! But then reality sets in. I’m still the same person that I was on the last day of the old year…or am I?

I am not the same person today that I was yesterday…if I’m paying attention. Every day I have the opportunity to apply the truth of Ephesians 4: 22-24 to my life. I have the opportunity to put off the “old self”, to stop doing things the way I’ve always done them. I can do something different! By allowing the Holy Spirit to make me new in the “attitude” of my mind, I can make new choices. I can choose to put less food in my mouth, to move a little more today than I did yesterday, to put things away rather than dumping them on the table. I have been created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. And so have you!

Let’s encourage each other to do one thing differently! Just one thing! One thing is do-able. And as we make one small change, we will be able to see and recognize the manifestation of the Holy Spirit helping us to do just one thing; which just might encourage us that we are new, different and the possibilities are endless! It may not be easy, we may not succeed perfectly, but it is do-able! Happy New Year!