BY GREG CRUM
“The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” Romans 13:12-14
Friends, I’m sure you’ve heard this more than once before, but the Lord’s return for his Body is closer now than it has ever been. It doesn’t seem like it will be very long now. Here in Romans, Paul was encouraging that earliest generation of Gentile believers to “put on” the nature of our Lord Jesus because the great countdown until God’s reset was in motion. Paul reminded them that they didn’t have time to indulge in worldly living and that they couldn’t afford the setbacks that a wasteful lifestyle produces. If that was the case almost 2,000 years ago, how much more so today?
The last couple of weeks we have written of the change that should be occurring in the life of the believer as we grow in our relationship with God. 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.
Now, during the course of our thoughts along these lines we also acknowledged that change is not most people’s “thing.” In fact, a lot of people hate change, even when they know that it’s probably for their best. Why? Change isn’t comfortable; there’s always some of the unknown involved, and especially for those who like to feel “in control” of their lives, that’s a problem. I get it, but for the sake of growth in Christ, we need to get over it and get on with it. The “it” being change!
Last week we left off thinking about the reasons why many resist lifestyle changes. Why do people keep 30-year-old clothes they never wear in a closet? Well, for some of the same reasons they keep hanging on to ways that are stunting their development in Christ. The first reason we mentioned was sentimental attachment. There can be a genuine feeling of comfort associated with the “good old days” that works to keep people in the past and, consequently, keeps them from moving forward in life.
Are there other reasons people balk at change? Of course, many, I’m sure, but two more I see quite a bit.
A second reason believers resist change is, to put it frankly, due to spiritual laziness. Change for the better takes effort; it’s not easy, and lasting change in ourselves can’t be accomplished for us by another. Think about it: It takes initiative to evaluate our lives and determine what “fits” and what doesn’t. Too many people know they’re in a mess, but in their minds the mess is easier to deal with than the effort it will take to dig out of that hole. Brothers and sisters, the mess isn’t better left alone! We need to press toward the mark of our high calling in Christ!
One last reason some are resistant to change that I’ll mention—and this one is the most dangerous for believers—is that some do not change because they think there’s still some value in the way they are currently living, even when they know that lifestyle is contrary to God’s will for their lives. They don’t get rid of things that no longer fit the lifestyle they should be aspiring to because they think, maybe, just maybe, they’ll grow back into them! It’s like losing weight and keeping a few articles of clothing as “fat suit fallbacks” just in case you gain a bunch of weight back again. Smart? Thrifty? No, in this case it is just making provision for the lust of the flesh!
Friends, we’ve entered a new life when we said “Yes” to Jesus. Let’s grow out of those old habits and hangups and leave them in our past. Let’s remind ourselves often that “If it no longer fits, I need to get rid of it!”
Greg Crum is the pastor of Calvary Temple in Lovely.