God’s New Creation

Every January my church devotes 21 days to prayer and fasting. Each day starts at six in the morning with a prayer service in the church’s sanctuary. Congregants are encouraged to choose something from which they will fast, something they could do without for twenty-one days. Most people choose to abstain from some foods or all food. The purpose of this practice is to grow closer to God, to intercede for others, and to pray about crucial issues in the community or around the world.

When I consider things we all could do without, I think of worry, fear, anger, being judgmental, and being unforgiving. Regret about past failures, missed opportunities, and relationships can haunt us for years, even if they happened in the distant past. These issues take the joy out of life and make it difficult to stay focused on the Lord. But with God’s help we can let go of them. Scripture tells us that if we are in Christ, the past is gone, and the new has come.

What if we could have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and self-control every day? We can pray daily for the fruit of the Spirit to be reflected in us. Philippians 4:8 instructs us to think of positive things that are true, right, and pure. I want to stand against the negative and experience the fruit of the Spirit, embracing the new creation I am in Christ.