Reflection
I used to think being "born again" meant the “old me” was gone forever. So why did my anger still flare up? Why did the envy linger? Why did worldly possessions still feel so important?
Then I watched a sculptor work. He didn't smash the stone and start over. He chiseled—slowly, painfully, beautifully. The stone remained, but the image emerged.
Paul wrote; "We are a new creation". But the old self still clings like rough edges on a statue. Repentance is not self-hatred; it's the chisel. Replacement is not pretending; it's choosing the new habit before the old one is dead, relying on the Master to decide what I should look like.
I cannot conform myself to Christ. But I can stop resisting the Spirit's chisel.
Prayer
Master Sculptor, do not give up on this rough stone. Chisel away my deceitful desires. Replace my bad habits with holy ones. Renew my mind daily until I truly resemble Your Son. I trust Your hands. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Kenneth Chow
