"Our lives are largely shaped by out perceptions of ourselves" This morning I came across this in my daily devotional, Walk With God, by Chris Tiegreen. It has been laid on my heart recently how vital it is to get rid of the "old" and make room for the "new." As we focus on what's "new" in our lives it will change the "perception (s) of ourselves," or how well we value ourselves. God doesn't just advise it, he mandates it.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!"
-2 Cor. 5:17
God wants me to declutter, align priorities, focus, and keep His Purposes in the Heart of it all. Chains to addictions, perceptions of myself, stereotypes of others, and useless icons.... "Let it go, Let it go... Can't hold it back anymore... let it go, let it go.. turn away and slam the door" sings Elsa in Frozen.
As I worship worldly values, I set up standards for what I look up to and dream to achieve. When icons delude my entire mentality I put myself in chains to my personal ideology system.
"Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone [or something!] as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey - whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?" -Romans 6:16
Getting rid of the old may be a challenge, a timely process. Old feelings, habits, attitudes will only transform when we take action and faithfully pray to our Heavenly Father. Beth Moore expressed in one of her books that when she puts action before feelings, her feelings later will follow suite. Therefore, don't wait to "feel" like taking action.
"Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win." -1 Cor. 9:24
God has the time for me and for you to run to Him with all our energy. Our chains to this world will be cut off. Our decision to always be with Him will emit a bright light. We will no longer turn to money, cosmetics, merchandise, food, sex, careers to fill in the emptiness and loneliness. There will be 100% certainty that we are His children and the worldly values will wither like the grass.
"For, 'All men are like grass, all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever.'" - 1 Peter 1:24-25
This will be on God's time. Every season will serve it's purpose.
"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven; a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,"
-Ecc. 3:16
Today I bring home the new.
This is who I am, in all truth and light.
I want nothing more than to throw out the old.
What has cluttered my mind, my life....
What I have because it was easy and cheap...
What was from another season in the past...
What has already served it's purpose...
Away with you!!!
My load in life needs to be lighter.
Break the cycle.
Break the chains.
Get rid of the old.
We all long for freedom, to feel complete and healthy. If our habits and actions repeat itself time and time again, expecting them to fulfill what our heart desires, we will lose our mental health.
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." -Albert Einstein
"Insanity: the state of being seriously mentally ill" (Dictionary. com).
Throw the chains away and go to the creator of life, of you, of me. Don't lose your mind putting what's not eternal "front and center" in life.
