You are not who you were when you first woke up this morning.
You were an entirely different person before you drank that cup of coffee
scrolled on social media
checked the news for the latest updates
made that snide comment at your spouse
snapped a little too quickly at your kids
Because each of those moments in time posed an opportunity to be transformed into the type of person you desire to be or deformed into the suboptimal version of yourself you hate to be.
Can I be honest? That was me this morning – every last bit of it. And when confronted with the choice of transformation or deformation, I chose the latter more times than I’d like to admit.
Consequently, I missed the chance to recognize each moment as an opportunity for sanctification.
Simply put, sanctification is the process of laying down our old way of life and picking up Jesus’ way, instead – all so that we can look and live more like Him. It’s our road to ultimate holiness.
And I know we all have a long way to go before we get anywhere near His perfect example of how to live and love well; but while we’re still on earth, it’s not about the final destination – it’s about who we’re becoming along the way.
Sanctification is not an obligation; it’s a gift. It’s not about following a list of rules to meet Jesus’ expectations of a perfect Christian (that doesn’t exist); it’s about embracing the true joy and fulfillment that’s found on the other side of our willingness to let go of all that isn’t serving us well.
That social media scroll? It’s filling me with insecurity.
That newsreel? It’s plaguing me with anxiety.
That snide comment? It’s fracturing my marriage.
That impatience? It’s setting a poor example for my kids.
That negativity? It’s tarnishing my perspective.
Does this sound like the abundant life to you?
Jesus knows a better way – and He literally died for us to have it.
He knows a way of living that overflows with peace, love, and joy – and He sacrificed His very life to give us access to it.
This Holy Week, as we reflect on the unfathomable price our Savior paid, I encourage you to embrace His invitation for sanctification.
Don’t let His gift go to waste.
Look for opportunities in your words, actions, relationships, and perspectives to choose “the Jesus way,” so you can taste and see what it means to truly LIVE.