66. Put it into practice
When we become Christians, our sinful-nature is removed and we are given God-nature that wants to live for God’s will and purpose. We are also given the power to live so. That is why Bible calls Christians, “New Creation”. We didn’t become a better person. We became a new person.
However, many Christians find it difficult to believe that they have truly changed when they see their lifestyle remains unchanged. It is because when we are born again, our spirit is made perfect but our wrong way thinking, bad habits, and sinful tendencies still remain unchanged. That is why we must keep on practicing to develop our potential to live holy to see a change in our lifestyle. The Christian life is a journey, not an event or accomplishment.
But many Christians stop practicing holiness because of fear of failure. After numerous attempt to change their character and bad habits, they become disappointed by the unsuccessful result and many simply give up. But we must keep on practicing holiness until good character and habits become our “second-nature”.
In 1991, January 15th, a plane that just left one of the airports in New York got its engines burnt when bypassing seagulls got sucked into them. The pilot had to make an immediate decision. But landing the plane on an airport was impossible because the nearest airport was too far and they happened to be passing the most populated areas of the city. So the only solution was landing the plane on Hudson River. But even a tiny, little mistake in landing process would make the plane sink and the pilot only had 2–3 minutes to prepare the landing. But the pilot made more than 10 necessary emergency measures within that short period of time and the plane landed successfully, with all passengers alive. Many people called it a miracle but it was not a miracle – it was a result of the Pilot’s constant practice in simulated emergency scenarios. Everything he practiced was simply “activated” like a second-nature when the situation came.
If we want to see a changed lifestyle, keep on practicing what you think God is telling you to do (such as saying positive words, being punctual, being aware of your assumptions when you get angry and so on) until they become “automatic” in your life. It is possible because we are given God-nature and God-ability to live holy.
