Romans 5: 2-5
Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
I love having membership with Generation Y, the Echo Boomers, or whatever you want to call us.
We are the first generation (that I know of) to suffer, quite normally, quarter-life crises. Having a career is no longer a virtue. Stability is seen as a weakness. “Be who you are.” Thank you, Walt Disney.
But seriously, all of us – in every generation, really – desire renewal. But for it to be authentic in our lives, we need to take the journey. I look at the world and see people who would rather be medicated to feel young again than live a life that would force them to live young again. They want the appearance of renewal without walking the road to renewal. We can’t settle for appearances.
We can’t settle for just feeling young again.
In this situation, the body rules over the heart, mind, and soul. If the body isn’t young, neither is the heart, mind, or soul. The body only feels, so the self is directed by the cravings of feelings. It is the shadow of renewal. You may have experienced this through emotionally-dependent worship. If your emotions weren’t there, neither was God.
Don’t get me wrong, emotional worship is wonderful… but dependence is not. The saying is true: “Feelings make wonderful servants and terrible masters.” The flesh fails, and because it rules, the heart fails with it. Rather than being renewed, we are being embalmed. Remember, bodies decompose but spirits do not.
“My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.” – Psalm 73:26
True renewal works from the inside-out.
If we want to experience renewal, we need to walk it at the depths of our inner-being. And according to Romans 5, that means faith in grace is our starting block, and suffering is the first leg. Suffering leads to endurance. Endurance turns into character. Character produces hope. Hope is followed by the fulfillment of our hope as God’s love is poured into us, changing us. This increases our faith in God’s grace, and then the cycle continues.
There is only one alternative.
Without renewal, our love will grow cold, and we will wither. If you need proof, look at bad marriages. Without renewal, love is doomed. And renewal comes at the heart. If you are cold, bitter, lazy, impassionate… turn around. The renewal of the heart is – literally – one step away.
Believe this. If we walk the road to renewal, the joy of our salvation grows as the gospel that saved us continues to sanctify us, for as long as we keep walking. Do you remember the first days of your salvation? Take a breath. Remember.
Remember, because we do not have a third option. It is one or the other. Wither or Grow. Live or die.
The road to renewal starts with faith in grace, and thats what I want to write on next.
Filed under: renewal
