Sands Through the Hourglass

"You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitudes of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."
Ephesians 4:22-24

All of us have two selves. We have the old one which existed in us before we came to Christ, and we have the new one which we have been given by God because of our relationship with him. The battle continues to rage in our lives, as the old nature attempts to maintain control, while the new nature demands the holiness of Christ.
    We are clearly instructed about how we are to handle the situation. First, we must put off the old self. This must happen in order for us to move forward. We cannot live both lives. The old nature is deceitful. It is corrupted by the enemy and the sin of the world. We must not succumb to its desires.
    Second, we are to be renewed in the attitude of our minds. Here is where change is actually made. We must change our minds and make a conscious choice to no longer agree with the old nature. Think of your life as an hourglass. One end is filled with the old nature, with its deceit and corruption. The other end contains the new nature, which is being perfected to be like Christ in righteousness and holiness. The middle, where the sand passes through, is your mind. Your will controls the hour glass. If you allow the old nature to control, the thoughts of the evil nature will sift through your mind. But if you choose to be controlled by the new nature which is becoming like Christ, the thoughts that pass through your mind will be the things of God. The mind is the key. With it, we choose to be like Christ or to live the same old corrupt life.
    Finally, we are to put on the new self. We have been created to be like Christ. Yes, we are new creations. The Bible tells us that the old is gone and the new has come. Christ paid the price which bought this for us. But still, we must choose to participate in it every day. We must change our attitudes. If we are angry, we must change our attitude. If we lie, we must change our attitude about that and put on truth. Really, it is nothing more than a series of decisions we make. Will we choose the new self or the old one? Think about it. Think about your attitudes. Do they need to be changed? This is the practicality of the Christian life, and the beauty of God's relationship with man...We have choices. Make the right ones.