Your best you

Colossians 3:9-10 (NIV) says, 'You have taken off your old self...and have put on the new self'. This sounds a little painful. Who wants to take off their 'old' self and put on a 'new' self? Are we being told to be like another person. Aren't we supposed to be ourselves and accept who we are?

Let's look at the bigger picture of this Scripture: 'But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator' (Colossians 3:8-10 NIV).

So, we're being asked to reflect more and more of Jesus, the one who saved us. What does this look like? We need to be willing to work through emotions and actions that aren't part of us living true to how God made us. Sometimes, God strips back the bad stuff quickly. Other times it doesn't happen at once, even when we wish we could kick a habit. 'Being renewed' is ongoing; it's ok that it

takes time. God keeps shaping us. And he's excited by our progress, rather than expecting us to get to 'perfect'.



So what now? Through Jesus, your old self is superseded by his beauty and goodness. God bless you as you discover more and more of 'your best you'!





— SCRIPTURE —

'Put on the new self.' Colossians 3:10 NIV
— SOULFOOD —