A New Me Coming
But the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control. There is no law against such things as these. --Galatians 5:22-23, TEV

On three different occasions in my life friends have said something like this: “You’re different, Cec. You’ve changed.”

Joanne said it the first time. I was in the military service and had been a Christian only a few months. Even though I had said nothing to her, my co-worker, about my faith (I hardly knew how to talk about my experience), she recognized a change in me.

Jerry and I were classmates in seminary. Eight years after seminary, we were both pastors and Jerry visited me. During our conversation I remember he cocked his head slightly and looked at me. “You’re different. You’ve changed, and I like what I see.”

A third occasion happened a few months ago. I was visiting relatives that I had not seen for two years. One of my nieces, a lovely Christian girl, said to me, “I’ve always loved you, Uncle Cec, and I’ve thought of you as a good Christian. But you’ve changed, and now I like you even more.”

I have changed! I’m going to keep on changing. None of us is going to stay the same. We’re going to get better or worse. The choice is ours.

I visited an office a few months ago. The man had a sign printed behind him which said:
  
You are not the same person that you were yesterday.

I asked him about it and he said to me, “It’s my way of reminding myself that I am not only changing—I can assist in that change. I can improve myself and I can build confidence. I can become a better Christian.”

We have the power to choose. We can change for the better. As Christians, we change not by our own strength, but by our willingness to allow the Holy Spirit to help us.

The Apostle Paul in Galatians says there’s a war going on in every one of us. He calls it the war of the flesh against the Spirit. The flesh, as defined by Paul, is our old nature, the part of us that constantly rebels against God. The Spirit is the Holy Spirit with whom our Spirit should cooperate. The Apostle Paul makes it clear that God is trying to perfect us, and he mentions nine types of fruit growing in us. This is the work of the Spirit. As we give ourselves to Him, the Spirit matures this fruit in us.

As we give ourselves more and more to God, we realize we’re not the same person we started out as. We’re always becoming a newer person. Each one of us can say, “There’s a new me coming.” We’re winners. We’re changing. We’re becoming more of what Jesus Christ created us to be.

Wonderful Lord, thank You that there’s always a new me coming. Thank You that You’re the One who’s helping me make these changes. Amen. 

Cecil Murphey has written dozens of books on a variety of topics with an emphasis on Spiritual Growth, Christian Living, and Caregiving. He enjoys preaching in churches and speaking and teaching at conferences around the world. Cec loves meeting the people who have benefited from reading his books, saying that interacting with them stimulates his mind and nourishes his soul. He lives in the Atlanta area with his wife Shirley, a wonderful woman and former editor. They have three grown children.

For updates on Cec's situation, inquire with one of his representatives: deidre.knight@knightagency.com or jancoates@suddenlink.net. 

Excerpts from Devotionals for Winners used with permission from the author.