We are ever in the process of being renewed and remolded into a fuller and more perfect likenesses of Him who created us. This process is a cooperative work between God and His children. For our part, we must learn to “let go and let God” do the transforming work that we need in our souls and minds. If it is our desire to grow spiritually and have our lives continually evolve into His likeness, we must learn to humble ourselves and be willing to work out and then release our anger, rage, bad feelings toward others, curses, slander, and abusive words.
At some point in our walk, we must realize that these negative aspects of our lives will keep us from growing in His love. This is not about trying to keep rules or be good. This is about growing in His understanding and then surrendering and letting God’s Spirit do His work within us. It’s like remodeling an old house. That which is old and rotten must be torn down and put aside before the new can be built. The “new” that God wants to build up and place in our hearts and minds is this: behavior marked by tenderhearted pity and mercy, kindness, a lowly opinion of ourselves, gentle ways, and patience- which is tireless and long-suffering and has the power to endure whatever comes with good temper.
In the spiritual realm, growing through the Holy Spirit is brought about by the continuous process of tearing down so that we can be built up, taking off the old so that the new can be put on, letting go and letting God bring us by faith to a better place. This process will include painful seasons, but as we lean, rely, and hold on to Him in trust, we will be enfolded in His supernatural love-the bond of perfection-and we will begin to experience harmony and peace in our hearts.
“But now put away and rid yourselves [completely] of all these things; anger, rage, bad feeling toward others, curses and slander, and foulmouthed abuse and shameful utterances from your lips! And have clothed yourselves with the new [spiritual self], which is [ever in the process of being] renewed and remolded into [fuller and more perfect knowledge upon] knowledge after the image [the likeness] of Him Who created it. Clothe yourselves therefore, as God’s own chosen ones, by putting on behavior marked by tenderhearted pity and mercy, kind feeling, a lowly opinion of yourselves, gentle ways, [and] patience [which is tireless and long suffering, and has the power to endure whatever comes with good temper]. Be gentle and forbearing with one another and if one has a difference [a grievance or complaint] against another, readily pardoning each other; even as the Lord has [freely] forgiven you, so must you also [forgive]. And above all these [put on] love and enfold yourselves with the bond of perfectness [which binds everything together completely in ideal harmony].” (Colossians 3:8, 10, 12-14).
