old leaves

today's devotions from our daily bread and back to the bible were excellent. the devotion for our daily bread talks about how the leaves on oak trees retain their leaves through the winter while other trees lose theirs, even through early parts of spring, the oak keeps some of it's leaves. eventually those old leaves are replaced with new buds.

"At times, old habits cling to our lives with the same tenacity as those oak leaves. Even the winds of adversity do not remove all the lifeless leftovers of our fallen human nature.
"But Christ, who dwells in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, is at work. His life within us continually seeks to push off the old habits—renewing us when we confess our sins, steadying us when we falter, and strengthening us to do His will."

it goes on to talk about thanking God for His Spirit that lives in us when all attempts to cast off old sinful habits ends in failure. "Keep saying yes to His gentle urging to be kind, loving, compassionate, honest, and faithful. Those "lifeless old leaves" will eventually drop off."

for me, that was encouraging. i don't know if it's just me beating myself up, but i have some "old leaves" that hang on and hang on and hang on and it can be quite discouraging.

also take a look at today's back to the bible devotion. i like this line from today's devotion - "Watch your every step. Stay close to Christ. When your step is away, make sure the next one is back toward Jesus."