Day 1: Leaving the Old Life Behind
Reading: Ephesians 4:17-24
Instructions for Christian Living
17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.
20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
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Devotional:
Paul's words carry the weight of divine authority. The old life, marked by confusion, darkness, and hardened hearts, is not simply a bad habit to manage. It is a way of death that must be thrown off entirely, like a shirt soaked through with grease and filth. Before Christ, we wandered far from the life God intended, following our own desires without shame. But that is not who we are anymore. The Spirit offers something entirely different: renewed thoughts, renewed attitudes, and a renewed identity rooted in truth. The invitation today is not to try harder, but to surrender more fully to the One who makes all things new.
What part of the old life are you still holding onto rather than throwing off?
Identify one specific habit or pattern that belongs to the old self. Bring it honestly before God in prayer today and ask the Holy Spirit to begin replacing it with something new.
Instructions for Christian Living
17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.
20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Devotional:
Paul's words carry the weight of divine authority. The old life, marked by confusion, darkness, and hardened hearts, is not simply a bad habit to manage. It is a way of death that must be thrown off entirely, like a shirt soaked through with grease and filth. Before Christ, we wandered far from the life God intended, following our own desires without shame. But that is not who we are anymore. The Spirit offers something entirely different: renewed thoughts, renewed attitudes, and a renewed identity rooted in truth. The invitation today is not to try harder, but to surrender more fully to the One who makes all things new.
What part of the old life are you still holding onto rather than throwing off?
Identify one specific habit or pattern that belongs to the old self. Bring it honestly before God in prayer today and ask the Holy Spirit to begin replacing it with something new.
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2 Comments
It’s really easy to hold onto the “old self” because that’s where it’s comfortable and presumably fully known. Like I know what’s going to come of my actions because I’ve always been this way. But when we surrender ourselves and let the Holy Spirit work, we see his transforming power and how wonderful that change can be.
I think for some people this might be a call to live differently. For those who grew up going to church, knowing the behaviors that are not pleasing to God, it’s more of a call to live with integrity. A challenge to more fully embrace a life that pleases God and not a show that pleases man. For me it was a decision to be myself everywhere, with everyone. That means the same me at home, at work, at church and so on.