Good morning and welcome to Starting Right with Danny Mac . I'm going to be here every Monday to Friday to help you get a great five-minute start to your day , so grab your cup of coffee , sit back , relax and let me help you start your day right .
During my devotions yesterday morning , I was in Ephesians , chapter 4 , and what really struck me was an important truth that sometimes it's easy to forget , and that's the fact that the Christian walk is one of continual growth and constant change .
We don't always like what it takes to cause us to grow and , as most people feel , change is not always comfortable for us either , and , as most people feel , change is not always comfortable for us either . But yet that's what God desires for us , so that we learn to become more and more like Him . Let's take a look at Ephesians 4 , verses 21-24 .
It says Since you've heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from Him , throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life , which is corrupted by lust and deception . These verses remind us how important it is that we constantly are getting rid of our old selves and we're embracing the new that God has for us .
And as we begin to understand it and embrace it , we can actually get excited about what God's doing in us , but sometimes we forget the good things that are involved with this putting on of the new nature that God has for us . And yet those benefits they go beyond amazing .
Picture this You're stepping into a life filled with compassion , confidence , kindness and humility , patience and love All of those things working together . When we embrace this new nature , we're not just transforming ourselves , but we're also inspiring others to join in . Remember that our faith and our joy that God gives us is contagious .
When people see us full of joy and peace and acting and responding different , they want to figure out what that is and have it too , and the truth of God can break through to them . Now let's get real just for a minute here .
As much as we'd love this transformation to be a smooth sail , there are some emotional and spiritual traps that might try to trip us up . Some of the greatest weapons of the devil against us are negative self-talk , fear of change and the oh-so-dreaded comparison game . Those things can really impact us deeply , but fear not .
Recognizing these traps is the first step towards conquering them . And remember we've got a divine support system cheering us on every step of the way . Here's the exciting part we can totally overcome these traps and experience this new nature .
We can replace negative thoughts and attitudes with truths from God's Word that tells us how much he loves us , how much we are worth to Him . In spite of what the people around us think , god loves us . We can actually embrace change as an opportunity to grow and remember that your journey is your journey . It's unique .
So there's absolutely no need to compare yourself to anybody else , but surround yourself with people of faith who believe in the power of God and believe in you . Build yourself through prayer , meditating on the Lord and what he has for you , and spending time reaching out and encouraging other people around you .
Remember that God has us on this journey to be like Him . It won't happen instantaneously . It won't happen without some bumps along the road .
In fact , we may find times where we are wandering off track a little bit , but remember , every step you take towards putting off the old and putting on the new is a step towards aligning yourself with God's incredible plan for your life . So go ahead , my friends .
Step into that new nature with confidence , with an assurity that God is with you , find people around you who will encourage you and will lift you up and will help to keep you on track , and you have the opportunity to help keep them on track as well .
You're not alone in this journey , so embrace the process , celebrate the small victories and watch as your life blossoms into something incredible , because you can make a difference in the world around you right now . Have a great day , my friends . We will talk again tomorrow .
Thank you for joining us today , and I invite you to join us every Monday to Friday , right here at Starting Right , with Danny Mack .