There is so much about being a new creation I didn’t expect. Things like being tempted–I wanted them gone. Things like thoughts that go through your head–I wanted them to gone. Things like problems brought to you–I wanted them easily resolved. There are so many more! In each case I now see, “I wanted”. The selfishness of flesh is always part of us even when we are a new creation. The ugliness of flesh I’d experienced as a kid I thought was what flesh looked like for everyone. How could one be a new creation and still have flesh like I had known? The reality of acting on flesh was what I was missing. Abuse is the acting on fleshly desires. Having temptations is of the flesh and being a new creation gives one the motivation to step away from them and God’s Strength to do so.

One of my most precious realities I’ve found is that being a new creation brings a longing to be more and more Christ-like. We will never be perfect as Christ is, but knowing the future has this in it, makes me smile and know it is all worthwhile!