If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. – 2 Corinthians 5:17

I don’t think there is greater evidence that one has been saved than this:

The sin that I once loved, I now hate.

I’ve never really liked the definition of hate. Not that it is a bad definition, but because hate is generally thought of as the opposite of love. I’ve concluded that the opposite of love is not hate, but indifference. As life goes on, we spend the most time doing what we love. For example, I used to love playing video games, but now I see them as a colossal waste of time. I don’t care about them anymore. They get no more of my time, money, or efforts. I don’t see myself as hating the games I once loved, I’m just indifferent towards them. I couldn’t care less about them.

I think about the thief on the cross that was saved next to Jesus. He simply asked if Jesus would “remember him when he came into his kingdom.” He even said that he knew that he was justly being punished for the wrongs he had done. Think about that, for probably the first time in his life, he felt remorse for things that, up to that point, he carried out with pride. It didn’t bother him then, but it bothered him now. The thing that he once loved, he now looked back on with regret.

I say all that to say this: I was somewhere that I shouldn’t have been yesterday. I knew it before I went. I even felt like I had to leave Jesus at the door to go in. For maybe the first time in my life, I didn’t really enjoy what I was doing . . . I couldn’t enjoy it. God continues to change my heart, my mind, and my spirit . . . even after following Him for over three decades. Sure enough, God was there to meet me at the door when I came back out and rode home with me. Just like those video games back in the day, I no longer need or want this in my life.

Take an honest assessment of the things you allow into your heart, mind, and life. Which ones please God? Which ones don’t? I think a great prayer to pray would be, “Lord, help me to love what You love, and hate what You hate.” Of course, then don’t be surprised when your little world gets turned upside down. Mine sure was.

Thank You, Jesus that I have so little to do with my salvation. You are the author, and you are the finisher of my faith. I’ve come to the conclusion that if it were possible to lose my salvation, I certainly would have done it. Thank You for the Bible, thank You for the Holy Spirit that convicts, and thank You for life change. There is and never will be another like You! Amen!

It took Him just a week to make the moon and the stars, the Sun and the Earth and Jupiter and Mars. How loving and patient He must be, ‘cause He’s still working on me.