II Corinthians 5:17 > Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
I understood that verse when it came to being delivered from the old man, the one before Christ entered his life. I thought of obvious changes that others could see; not necessarily the gradual changes taking place in the heart. Today, I had the opportunity to see it in my own life.
A few years ago, I had the pleasure of being involved in a Bible Study class at church. The study was one that Priscilla Shirer had written called "One in a Million". My life has never been the same since. It's been a slow process. (Evidently I am just an extra-hard-headed individual!) Anyhow, my thought processes had to change. I spent too many hours looking back to Egypt and the way things use to be, that I couldn't see today, the moment. I definitely had spent too long in the desert wandering around just like the children of Israel had done. I missed what "use-to-be", I lived in its shadows.
I have done so many studies since then that have all been very beneficial to who I am in Christ today. I am a new creature, parts of the old me are being cleaned out every day! How do I know?? Today I had the opportunity to either show compassion or to show my fangs!!! Well, without much thought.....I showed compassion. I don't say this boastfully, I say this very humbly. I'm still rather shocked!
Church this morning was a blessing. The Holy Spirit was there, my oldest daughter, Bonnie, and her family (Frederic and daughters Jaelyn and Leila) were there, my sister, Michelle, and niece, Amanda, were also there. I felt pretty blessed! I had so wished that my youngest daughter, Alesha, and her husband, Thomas, could've been there, along with my husband, Raymond, as well. But God had already ordained the day to be just as it was. Anyhow, Raymond had decided to go back to church with me tonight!!! Woop, woop!!! I was so excited! We had our comfy clothes on, headed out the door and were on our way to church! Any wife's dream! And then it all changed. Raymond had started getting physically sick; headache, nausea, very light-headed, and felt real "empty" inside. I could tell it was real. I wanted to lash out at Satan and just give him a what-for! The way I would have done just that in the past would be by lashing out at Raymond. Ashamedly, I would've used every excuse in the book to blame him for messing up "my" night! No, I am not proud. It's just the truth. That is the quickest way for a wife to knock a husband down and make him feel worthless. That is a sin!!!! Wives are NOT to do that to their husbands. We are to lift them up, encourage them and love them. When I would get so angry at how Raymond and I couldn't live like we use to and be like we used to be, I would direct my anger toward him. Yep, I was worse than worm guts in the dirt!
But today, well it was different. I didn't lash out nor did I harbor ill feelings. Oh, I could have!!!! Well, not really. I'm not the same person that I used to be. I AM in Christ, I AM a new creature: old attitudes toward Raymond's illness ARE passing away, ALL things are becoming new. Did I ever see our situation in 2 Corinthians 5:17?? Nope!!! But it's there!
Every day I get to see glimpses of a new creation in my own life. The old Vonda is slipping away and a new one is being born. Oh how Jesus shows His love by showing glimpses of a new creation! It's certainly not fun to see the ugly in ourselves. But when we can see the changes, as slow as they may be, it is just very humbling.
Thank you Lord for Your immeasurable love. Thank You Lord for showing me the old me so that room for the new me can be made.
In awe of Him,
~Vonda
I understood that verse when it came to being delivered from the old man, the one before Christ entered his life. I thought of obvious changes that others could see; not necessarily the gradual changes taking place in the heart. Today, I had the opportunity to see it in my own life.
A few years ago, I had the pleasure of being involved in a Bible Study class at church. The study was one that Priscilla Shirer had written called "One in a Million". My life has never been the same since. It's been a slow process. (Evidently I am just an extra-hard-headed individual!) Anyhow, my thought processes had to change. I spent too many hours looking back to Egypt and the way things use to be, that I couldn't see today, the moment. I definitely had spent too long in the desert wandering around just like the children of Israel had done. I missed what "use-to-be", I lived in its shadows.
I have done so many studies since then that have all been very beneficial to who I am in Christ today. I am a new creature, parts of the old me are being cleaned out every day! How do I know?? Today I had the opportunity to either show compassion or to show my fangs!!! Well, without much thought.....I showed compassion. I don't say this boastfully, I say this very humbly. I'm still rather shocked!
Church this morning was a blessing. The Holy Spirit was there, my oldest daughter, Bonnie, and her family (Frederic and daughters Jaelyn and Leila) were there, my sister, Michelle, and niece, Amanda, were also there. I felt pretty blessed! I had so wished that my youngest daughter, Alesha, and her husband, Thomas, could've been there, along with my husband, Raymond, as well. But God had already ordained the day to be just as it was. Anyhow, Raymond had decided to go back to church with me tonight!!! Woop, woop!!! I was so excited! We had our comfy clothes on, headed out the door and were on our way to church! Any wife's dream! And then it all changed. Raymond had started getting physically sick; headache, nausea, very light-headed, and felt real "empty" inside. I could tell it was real. I wanted to lash out at Satan and just give him a what-for! The way I would have done just that in the past would be by lashing out at Raymond. Ashamedly, I would've used every excuse in the book to blame him for messing up "my" night! No, I am not proud. It's just the truth. That is the quickest way for a wife to knock a husband down and make him feel worthless. That is a sin!!!! Wives are NOT to do that to their husbands. We are to lift them up, encourage them and love them. When I would get so angry at how Raymond and I couldn't live like we use to and be like we used to be, I would direct my anger toward him. Yep, I was worse than worm guts in the dirt!
But today, well it was different. I didn't lash out nor did I harbor ill feelings. Oh, I could have!!!! Well, not really. I'm not the same person that I used to be. I AM in Christ, I AM a new creature: old attitudes toward Raymond's illness ARE passing away, ALL things are becoming new. Did I ever see our situation in 2 Corinthians 5:17?? Nope!!! But it's there!
Every day I get to see glimpses of a new creation in my own life. The old Vonda is slipping away and a new one is being born. Oh how Jesus shows His love by showing glimpses of a new creation! It's certainly not fun to see the ugly in ourselves. But when we can see the changes, as slow as they may be, it is just very humbling.
Thank you Lord for Your immeasurable love. Thank You Lord for showing me the old me so that room for the new me can be made.
In awe of Him,
~Vonda
