Anything But Ordinary (Part 1): Leaving The Old Life Behind

February 19, 2020 Jake Bryant

Time for an update

Software Update.

Two words that any iPhone user is certainly familiar with. Two words that, in my experience, meant new features, better performance, and bug fixes. Just hit install and all is well! Well, maybe…

Not long ago, I found myself in a really annoying situation. From day 1, I had taken “the experts” advice to make sure my phone was protected. I bought the phone case that even Superman couldn’t crush, I added incidental damage coverage to my plan, and most importantly—I just took care of it. But in spite of my efforts, I still found myself with a phone in need of repair.

My battery had started draining so rapidly that my phone was nearly unusable. But after a new battery failed to fix the issue, I was told that the real issue was that my phone “wasn’t capable of handling new software updates”. You know, the updates that are supposed to be the solution to your problem, not the source. So here I was, left to watch my mint-condition phone die a slow death, or sell my left arm to purchase a new one.

And yet, all I could picture was some executive at Apple laughing at my predicament:

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You know what’s ironic about it all? We experience an eerily similar predicament when it comes to our own lives. Like a smartphone, we also have operating software, which comes in the form of our thoughts & beliefs. But in our case, it’s typically not new software that drains our personal battery, but rather old ideas that should have been expired long ago.

Just like with our phones, we put great effort into protecting things on the outside, things like our homes, bank accounts, and our bodies. And while these things are certainly worth caring for, it’s the content on the inside that remains invaluable & ultimately irreplaceable. Which is why 2 Corinthians 4:16 (ESV) is worth reflecting on, as it serves as a powerful reminder of that very truth:

"We do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day."

It’s not enough to look good on the outside, especially when you feel disheartened & drained on the inside—in need of serious repair. The reality is, no outward insurance can fix the condition on the inside; what we’re really needing is insurance for the inside. Better yet, an inward assurance that only God can bring. It’s time for God to show us anything we’re holding onto that’s ultimately holding us back.

It’s time for a spiritual software update.

3 Areas needing updates

Think about all the previous ideas you’ve held throughout your life, from your childhood up until this present moment. Some of them may have been good ideas, but if we’re being honest, the vast majority of them were bad—really, really bad. It’s both embarrassing & terrifying to imagine where I might be today had I never made it past some former ways of thinking.

On some level, those old ideas still have a way of rearing their ugly heads in our lives. When they do, we have a tendency to play “whack-a-mole” to try & rid ourselves of the problems they present. But the most problematic ideas are the ones that are hidden by the cloak of good intention, disbelief, or outright deception. Those are the ones that we’re after.

Ephesians 4:22-23 (EASY) says this:

“…You must put away the nature that you had before. That old nature that deceived you. As a result, you wanted to do things that would destroy you. Instead, let God’s Spirit make you think in a new way.”

That’s the plan with these posts, to take 3 corrupted ideas & repair them with God’s truth. And the 3 ideas we’ll take a look at are:

Old Idea #1: That your effort is everything.

Old Idea #2: The diluted version of God’s love for you.

Old Idea #3: That what you’re doing lacks significant meaning.

Remember:

The world may help you “look the part” but only God can set you apart.

leaving the old behind

Full disclosure:

It may not sound appealing to you or even something you can relate to, but there’s been many times in life where my greatest goal was to live a “normal, ordinary life”. Life is often very dysfunctional & hurtful, so it’s no wonder that normalcy became such a compelling idea. That’s what it was for me, until I realized that the ordinary life was littered with many of the same struggles that we all go through.

Unfortunately, “normal” is a facade. Thankfully, the life God has for us is a genuine reality. Life with Him isn’t always easy but it’s always worthwhile. Life with Him means you never have to go through trials on your own. Life with Him is about leaving the old & embracing the new. Life with God is—