Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV

Some of us would know this quote from The Color Purple. It popped into my mind while talking to God about a friend of mine. We’ll call her Rachel. Rachel lived by her calendar and Covid-19 stopped it in it’s tracks. She was fine for a few weeks and then became restless. Rachel divulged to me that she grew bored and quite frankly, lonely. She had begun to entertain old habits. She was resurrecting things that had been dead.

We’re human. We make mistakes and dig up what we miss. We think of some good time that we had and want to relive it. So, we begin to start CPR on that old thing that used to make us feel better. Maybe it’s an old flame that you are still friendly with who nearly ruined your life or an old habit that kept you stagnant and distracted. Don’t go back! Don’t look back. There is nothing there. Always remember 2 Corinthians 5:17, Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (KJV).

When we said yes to God, we said yes to a new life. You said yes to a new you. Every day on this walk, we take a step into new. We step into living honestly and peacefully. We step into living to be more like Christ. When we are tempted by something that is dead, it is an opportunity to remind ourselves that we are new. We no longer need the dead things to amuse us or make us whole. Since you’ve come to Christ, what has been removed? Now, think of what took it’s place. Was it peace? Joy? A renewed relationship with your spouse, family or friend? Hold on to that. I will also challenge you to meditate on what replaced your dead thing. I guarantee it was better than what was lost.

The God we serve is a God of restoration. He gives back what is stolen, what has been taken and what has been removed. He not only gives it back, He gives it back bigger and better than ever. There is no need to dig up what has been buried. No need to break out the paddles and yell, “Clear!” Remember, Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us . ~ Selah