27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. Colossians 1:27-28 NKJV
As we near the end of the year and the decade, I recognize how short I fall from living as the new creation God made me to be in Christ. It seems like I am plagued by the “Old Man” tendencies, bad habits and patterns of thought that really hold me back from becoming the “New Man” in Christ.
I have a new revelation of mid-life crisis – the intersection of past ambitions, expectations, and pedigree with reality and especially the reality of God’s kingdom purposes for one’s life. It can be very stressful when the original set of plans. ambitions, etc. are not aligned with God’s plans. I realize that my early life was filled with ambitions, expectations and a pedigree mindset that did not necessarily line up with God’s plans for my life. I wanted to be a successful businessman, heading up some large company and making lots of money. In my pride I felt that I deserved success and that I was better than most people. The pride in my heart was monumental and breathtaking as I look back on it.
Thankfully through the years God has helped me dismantle the pride and realign my life to His plans and purposes. The past ten years is where much of that realignment occurred. There have been many lessons in humility and dependence on God. There have been many times when I had no idea how to solve a problem nor what to do. Impossible circumstances lead us to the God of the Impossible, Who loves to intervene when we invite Him to!
Once we are aligned (or re-aligned) with God’s plans and purposes, then comes the daily challenge/opportunity of casting off the old man and putting on the new man in Christ. This is perhaps the greatest challenge and where I fear my slugglishness to move forward and take hold of the new life will paralyze me. We have so many opportunities every day to choose the new life over the old, righteousness over sin. I see I am prone to go back to the old way so easily, yet God gives me the Holy Spirit to help me choose the new life.
I am thankful that the new life is not about competing with other people – i.e. that life isn’t about beating somebody else out in a competition or game, but rather that it is about being the person God made us to be. There will always be someone who is smarter, prettier, richer, faster and smarter than me. If life were a competition based on any of those fleeting things, most people, including me, would fail miserably!
The new life is about being – being the person God created us to be. For example, the person Christ made us to be love the people around us – the people that God has placed in our lives that we can be Jesus to. It seems so easy to forget that, especially when we’re in the heat of the moment, perhaps arguing with one of those persons that we’re somehow supposed to be Jesus to.
20 But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:20-24 NKJV
My prayer for myself and anyone reading this is that we will move forward this year and this new decade, to live as the ones He created us to be! I think this is what Paul was referring to in the above verse – there is a real hope of glory when Christ works in us and transforms us into the people He created us to be. Christ in you…the hope of glory!