I said, “My life is in a hundred pieces,”
A puzzle broken apart by shame and anxiety;
I meant to work the picture to perfection,
But this bent attraction – more than anything,
Has left all a jumble, and I can find no remedy.
In the darkest places God whispers,
“You’re in my hands; I’ve caught all the pieces;
Dear child, your mistakes and sin are real,
But no matter what you feel, I forgive you,
And I love you, and make beauty out of brokenness too.”
“Let me give you a new picture, let the old one go,
All the same pieces, but with new meaning;
My son Jesus rose so that you could glow,
You’re born again – my love redeeming.”
And now I wake up to a brand new day,
My old struggles laid at the cross;
Working my puzzle, now that God’s made a way,
For me to find love without any dross.
Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! – 2 Cor. 5:17
Jesus said that being born again means a new spiritual life that changes us. The plan isn’t to fix the old life. That won’t work, because sin/evil can’t be fixed; it simply has to go. God’s plan is for us to share Jesus’ death and life. That way, our old life dies with him on the cross, and we are raised with him to a new life.
This isn’t just figurative language. God says it’s a real, legitimate change that happens in our spirits. It’s tangible – part of us is alive that was dead before. Bit by bit, the new life in our spirit works its way into our mind and emotions. We begin to think and feel differently about things.
All of this happens, because now you have a connection with God inside you. If you ask Jesus to be your Savior, you share something very special with him. He shares his life with you, and you live your life with him. And, you’re not the same.