The Dot Joiner Sample

The Renewed And Restored Dot

Following Jesus is a lifelong pursuit. Once we give Him our hearts as His residence we find that He begins to gently shape us as He sees fit. The shaping process is called renewal since each day we are being made new with the old progressively making its exit. 

Is the old that bad that it has to be wiped out? 

Not necessarily, but it just means that with Jesus in our lives our good perspectives and ideas become God attitudes and innovation. Our everyday, sometimes mundane lives become hubs of purpose where kindness, compassion and humble service become the norm. The agent of renewal is the Holy Spirit whose primary purpose is to transform us into the best version of ourselves, until all people see when they see us is Christ! 

Renewal happens for all of our lives until we reach eternity where we will find ourselves completely restored. Restored into the original image of God, perfect in every way. Until then though, we must embrace the fact that we are in the “now and not yet” where we stand redeemed and cleansed by the blood of Christ and yet not where we need to be. 

Refining happens at this place of the “glorious in between” via our relationships, our church community, our job situations and our struggles. The process of refining is sometimes difficult resembling a piece of gold in a refiner’s fire where it is put through intense temperatures in order for the impurities to melt away. The purpose of renewal is not to condemn and discourage us as we follow Christ instead it is to equip us to be more like Jesus in a hurting world. 

Becoming a Christian isn’t the goal of salvation instead salvation is the doorway through which we walk, in order to enjoy a life centred around God and to draw others into his Kingdom. Renewal is the currency of the Kingdom of heaven since every follower of Christ is on their own journey yet we can encourage and spur each other on to do greater things for God in our time here on earth.

Think on how God is currently using people and situations to refine you. 

Thank the Holy Spirit for His work of renewal in your life.