BY GREG CRUM

“But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Ephesians 4:20-24

In our new life in Christ there are things we should “put on” and other things that we should “put off.” In other words, change should be occurring as we grow in the Lord.

Last week we wrote of the importance of making space in our lives to accommodate growth in our relationship with God. I relayed a truth that the Lord spoke to me as I was going through the mundane task of cleaning out a clothes closet last summer. The truth? We should be ever-changing, growing up, and becoming better fit for the lifestyle and positions that He has called us to in this life. We should be growing into some things and growing out of others. But in order for sustained growth to occur, we have to make room for ourselves to grow, and sometimes that involves moving old things out of the way!

So, every earnest believer wants to grow in their relationship with God. Right? Sure, but many don’t want anything in their lives to change, and that aversion to change has stalled them in their walk with God. I get it though. Change isn’t usually comfortable. It’s scary to break routines, especially when it seems that the routine is working so well. Well, maybe that routine is a warm blanket in life, but maybe it’s also keeping you from the greater experiences in the Lord that He has for you. Yes, change brings certain levels of uncertainty with it—this we know—and most cherish stability in day-to-day life. However, this perceived stability can also block future growth.

You’ve heard of hoarders, you’ve probably even watched the show, and if you’ve grown up in Appalachia you have a higher tendency to be one due to the historic poverty that has plagued this region. We should know by now that holding on to material things too tightly is an injurious thing. But did you know that we can hold on to habits, beliefs and attitudes that can harm or hinder us as well? We must resist the temptation to keep all that “stuff” in our closets, and cut off the reasons we convince ourselves to hold on to what is holding us back from a deeper walk with God.

With that said, how can we be more proficient at “putting off” the old man so we can “put on” the new? A good start is recognizing the reasons we hold on to things for too long. Recognize the root and it’s easier to pull it up.

So, root causes of change aversion? One root of the weed is sentimental attachment. We have a real feeling of comfort attached to the “better days” of the past and yearn for that way of life again. In Luke 5:36-39, Jesus warns of the perception that the “best days” are behind us. The truth that he knows, and that we will admit to if we’re honest, is that the “good old days” are often better remembered than they actually were.

Many Christians can’t progress in their walk with God and in His Kingdom because they are stuck in the past. In Philippians 3:12-14 we are told that believers need to focus on moving forward in Christ. This means moving on from the past, no matter how good or bad that past was. There are things we have to purposely “forget” in our past if we are to accomplish what God has before us.

Brothers and sisters, I understand that change is uncomfortable. Sometimes there are even “growing pains.” Yet, when we determine to follow God’s lead and “put off” the ways of our past, we make room for the fresh that He has in store for us.

Greg Crum is the pastor of Calvary Temple in Lovely.