NEWNESS OR FRESHNESS, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?

PART 2

As we grow in our walk with God, we start from the place of zeal, wanting to do everything for Him. 

And God doesn't seem to mind because what we are attempting to communicate is our new love for Him and His agenda. 

However, as we continue in our walk with Him, we learn that the best way to communicate our love for Him is not by doing many things for Him. Rather, by doing only the things He wants to be done. That is, living to please Him.

We do this by watching Him closely to see what He is doing, much more than doing things for Him. 

This morning, I will continue from where I stopped in my last post. I will be showing us those things that cause us to lose newness and freshness in our walk with God and in our work for Him. 

Don't forget that this also applies to other aspects of life too.

1) Passage of time: 

It is natural for things to wear out over time, whether you use them or not. The excitement is just no longer there. 

This happens with ideas and skills that we just acquire. If you don't do something about a new skill or idea within at least 48hrs and at most 2 weeks, the excitement will begin to wear out. 

Many people have many things in their house, hands, or mind that can turn their lives around, but they are not doing anything about it, so it remains only as a potential but never as manifested reality

Even a new car that you don't ride but just pack somewhere will begin to wear out over time if not maintained. 

Human bodies wear out with age. Even the earth we live in is becoming old, Isaiah 51:6. It is God that made it so, everything wears out with time; whether abstract or non-abstract things.

2) Challenges: 

Challenges have a way of wearying us. If your ministry, business, or marriage suffers challenges consistently, naturally whatever it is you are doing begins to lose its freshness. 

This is why you don't find the same kind of zeal in old people, old couple, old business, old ministries or old staff like you find in new staff, new businesses, new couple, new ministry or in children and youths. 

The eyes of old anything, whether people or staff, couple, ministry or business have seen all manner of things which has gradually but subtly wear out their zeal.

Say, for example, persistent failure or lack of human or material or financial resources. You just get tired, discouraged and frustrated. 

The next thing is, the thing begins to lose its newness and freshness.

3) Lack of results: 

Results are motivators. 

Whatever you are doing, and you are getting results you want to do over and over again. 

When you don't have results over time, whatever you are doing begin to lose its newness and freshness. This is where men are separated from boys. 

As Christians, it is the Holy Spirit that bridges this gap for us between when we start a thing and when the results start coming because it can be unusually long and frustrating.

4) Stagnation: 

Dynamism adds spice to living. When we remain at one spot over some time, whatever we have been doing that once excite us begins to lose its newness. 

The first time you got your job, you were so excited and was on top of the world.  But when you were not promoted for 10 years, that job that once excited you began to lose its newness, and now you are discouraged and frustrated at it. 

Even when you have your promotions as at when due, repeating the same things over and over again for many years brings boredom, and it wearies us.

This is where I will be stopping for today to keep this post short. In my next post, I will show us what to do to maintain the freshness and newness in our walk with God and work for Him.

PRAYER: Father, preserve my walk with you and my work for you at all times.

SALVATION PRAYER

Anything short of you being born again and living a life of holiness and purity hurt Jesus so much. But you can make things right here and now by saying this simple prayer and mean it genuinely from your heart:

 Lord Jesus, I come to you today. I acknowledge that I am a sinner and I cannot help myself. I repent of all my sins and I forsake them. Jesus, I invite you into my life, be my Lord, be my Saviour. 

Wash me by your precious blood, forgive my sins and write my name in the book of life. From this day, I promise to follow you all the rest of my life. Help me, Lord, in Jesus name, Amen. Congratulations, you are now born again!

PEACE