“You were taught in [Christ], as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” Ephesians 4:21-24
“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth…
“Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry… Put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator…
“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love… And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts… And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.” Colossians 3:1-2,5,8-10,12-16
A child is born and we nurture growth through healthy feeding and instruction. A tumor is discovered and we work to shrink or remove it. Life is full of opportunities and compulsion both to increase and to decrease in many facets. In the Christian life, sanctification is a process of growing in some areas and shrinking in others until we perfectly size up to the measure of Christ. Often increase is facilitated by elimination that makes it room.
A day has only so much time, and the human heart a finite capacity. There are certain proclivities and practices that necessarily take the place of others. It is healthy to assess where our minds are daily set, and what actions issue from that focus. If we keep hold of the old self and the shape of the world, and fail to go out in the renewed mind and redeemed dress of Christ, we will never learn His ways. Naming and putting away sinful habits frees us to begin to exercise love, humility, integrity, and kindness that flows from our status as Christ’s beloved children. How richly does God’s word, and how naturally does His Spirit, dwell in and influence us? (Romans 12:2)
What can we do to prepare room in our hearts for more of Jesus? How can we daily nurture qualities God commands and foster continued growth of all that is good? Are there bad attitudes and selfish rights taking time, attention, and affection space that must be confessed and eliminated? What malignancies in habit and practice will we put off in order to put on what is wholesome, holy, and God-honoring?
Father, Perfecter of all measure, decrease and eliminate anything in me that is earthly and old, and so increase in me that You are the One seen and desired. (John 3:30)
As the rain and snow 