Put aside and Receive

“Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.” James‬ ‭1:21‬ ‭

It would be nice, if the day that I confessed my sin to God and accepted Jesus as my Savior if all filthiness and the remain of wickedness were removed from my life. If the new creature I am in Christ was completely new and perfect. That is probably how ai would have arranged it, if I were in charge.

But instead, God in His wisdom gave us a choice. I have to chose to put aside the filthiness that filled my life before I came to Him. I can sit in church all my life and never receive the Word implanted in my life to save my soul. In order to receive, I first have to release the wickedness that has kept me enslaved. I have to get out of my own way so to speak.

God cleanses me, but I have to release those things that tie me to my old life in order to receive all that He has for me. I can’t have my old ways and His right way at the same time. There is not room for both in my life. He wants me to make a choice to put it aside. I have to chose to open my hand and release what I am familiar with to be able to receive from Him.

I have to chose to humbly open my hands. I have to open my life to allow His Word, the truth, to begin to transform it. As long as I am firmly grasping the things of this world, the filthiness and wickedness, I won’t be saved to the life He created for me.

I may make it to Heaven, but I won’t live the rich life He has for me here on earth. I won’t live a life transformed if I stay conformed to this world. I have to put aside the past, my former ways of filthiness and wickedness in order to receive all that He wants to implant within me.