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This entry helps release former versions of yourself and embrace who you are becoming.
TONIGHT’S SCRIPTURE
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17, NIV).
SOMETHING TO PONDER
I’ve compared my past self to my present self for six years. In the blink of an eye, I remember a 23-year-old girl, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, fresh out of college. I had never-ending stamina, passion, and health. My entire life felt like it was ahead of me. Until I got diagnosed with 10+ mental and physical health issues nearly overnight.
Suddenly, I was a ghost of myself. I didn’t have energy. Dates with my boyfriend were spent at Urgent Care and the hospital. My free time was spent researching cures, diagnoses, and doctors. I started taking too many supplements and medications, to keep track of them accordingly. For a while, I felt like I was balancing my new life with the old. But the more I clung to who I used to be, the more I lost sight of who I was becoming.
It’s been six years since I received all of those health scares and diagnoses. I struggle to remember the girl I used to be—mostly in good ways, but some in the latter. And yet, I’ve realized that God is still at work in my life. I may not be who I used to be, but I now have a greater appreciation for this life. I find joy in the simple things. In the days I have energy and gratitude for the days I don’t. It’s not easy, but it’s something the Lord has taught me.
Today, I’d love to tell you that I’ve been radically healed. In some ways, I have. My mind is so much better since the Lord led me to therapy, medication, and practical coping skills. I had surgery for endometriosis and am now learning to manage symptoms. I’ve worked with specialists, nutritionists, and doctors alike. But I still have my struggles. I still have bad days.
Through it all, 2 Corinthians 5:17 reminds me that though my physical body may not be what it once was, I’m a new creation in Christ Jesus. This body is temporary. It will pass and fade away. But what I’ve received eternally through the Lord, and the things He’s revealed to me through these challenges, those things can never be taken away from me. And they can never be taken away from you.