I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
— Galatians 2:20
There are moments when the reality of our sinful nature is obvious. It’s 1 a.m., and we can’t sleep, so we turn on our phones, and the battle is already lost. We buy the snack cakes, lying to ourselves that they will last all week, and the battle is lost as soon as we put them in the cart. We feel emotionally exhausted, but we are determined to be patient, and the battle is lost before our kids are even awake because we slept through the alarm. We are powerless, and simply trying to be better is never going to work.
I’m so grateful that someone shared the gospel with me because it’s the ultimate expression of God’s transformative power in the life of a believer, and responding to it changes everything.
When we put our faith in Jesus Christ and accept him as our Lord and Savior, we are united with him in his death and resurrection. Our old selves are crucified with Christ, and we are raised to a new life in him. This new life is not just a new way of living but a new identity in Christ.
And that’s what it really takes: a whole new life and identity.
The life we now live in the flesh is lived by faith in the Son of God. This means trusting in his promises and relying on his strength and guidance to navigate the challenges and opportunities of life.
A responsive heart is one that has put its trust in Jesus, one that is willing to die to self and allow Christ to live in and through us. It’s a heart that is open to change and willing to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, we thank you for the reminder in Galatians 2:20 that when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we die to ourselves and allow Christ to live within us. Help us have responsive hearts that are open to change and willing to die to self, trusting and following you completely. Give us the strength to overcome our wrong attitudes, such as distrust and anger, and the courage to become more trusting and forgiving. Help us to live a life of faith, depending on you for every aspect of our lives. In Jesus’ name, amen.