You took off your former way of life, the old self that is corrupted by deceitful desires; you are being renewed in the spirit of your minds; you put on the new self, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of truth.     Ephesians 4:22-24 HCSB

The last day of the year is a time when we think back to what went well this year and what didn’t go so well. We may make adjustments to how we do things. We may remove things from our lives that didn’t work out so well. We may try to add things that bring peace into our lives. It’s a time of renewal.

Some will make resolutions to do better in the new year in some area of their life. Others will neglect to make resolutions, feeling they only set themselves up for failure. What will it be for you this year?

Are there areas in your life you would like to change? Are there things you would like to do differently? Now is as good a time as any to make these positive changes in your life. Maybe you need to devote a certain time each day to Bible study. Maybe you need to set aside certain times of the day for prayer. These things will help you draw closer to your Lord and Savior.

If your old way of life hasn’t been serving you well, put off the old self. We are born with a sinful spirit. David addressed this in Psalm 51:5. You don’t have to teach a child to lie or to go against what their parent tells them to do; it comes naturally.

As we draw nearer to Christ through Bible study and prayer, we develop a deeper bond with Him. We can appreciate the great love He has for us. And we want to say and do the things that bring Him glory, honor, and praise. We actually want to toss the old self out like dirty mop water.

We want to be renewed in the spirit of our minds and put on our new self. God created us to be in close fellowship with Him. We were told in Genesis 1:27 that God created man in His own image. We were created to be like God.

This is why once we understand the love God has for us and we accept Christ as our Savior, we want to put on our new self. We want to please God in the things we say and do. As our Scripture passage says, we want to put on the self that was created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and the purity of the truth.

Maybe you feel secure in your standing with God these days. Maybe you feel you are right where you need to be. Perhaps you are devoting yourself to church, Bible study, and prayer, and have entered into that close relationship with Him. You are serving Him and others. This is good, but we are all works in progress. Keep up the good work.

If you feel you need to do more, now is a good time to commit to that change in your life. Trust in Him. And whatever you decide to do, know you do not do it alone. He will be right there beside you every step of the way. All you have to do is ask.

Have a great day and a Happy New Year!