I will not be ashamed. This affirmation comes from 1 Corinthians 15:10 where Paul says: “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.” (NIV)
My travels to this affirmation and verse this morning started first in Ephesians where I just knew God wanted me to share how He did a gut check on me as being a part of the body of Christ. Do I approach each day with the mission to make sure I do my part?
Ephesians 4:16: We are all a part of the body and all have a function. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. (NIV)
AS EACH DOES ITS WORK. How will the body of Christ work today if I fail to do my part? Can God accomplish His mission without me? Of course He can and will. However, I do have a vital and critical part today. Christ’s mission is assured but is someone’s individual salvation due to what I do today? I don’t know, but maybe.
I am told in Ephesians I will put off the old man and take on the new. That the Spirit will renew my attitude and my thoughts.
So, what do I do with this old man? Live in shame? Hide behind walls of dishonesty? Fail to do my part because it’s too ugly for God to use?
No, this day I choose to do my part of the body. I will not be ashamed of my old man. I will praise God, the Father who lives in me today. I will thank Him for who I am. My story, my life because of His grace and because of His Spirit will be a functioning vital part of the body for those purposes and people He has designed for me today.
I will go forward with gratitude today. In 1 Corinthians 15:57 it states:
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (NIV)
I will go into this day thankful for this victory that God has given me in Jesus, thankful for who I am and thankful God will use who I am as part of His body.
Tom Raines
Christian Affirmations 4 Life
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