WEDNESDAY

2 Corinthians 5:17

• What old habits do you need to get rid of? How can you practice changing these?

There’s a certain tone of voice that all massage therapists employ before and after a massage. It’s like they’re all trying desperately not to spook a wild horse; expertly calm, quiet, and docile, they’re basically vocal melatonin.

Last week, I got a massage. I always tell the masseuse to use a lot of pressure. I don’t want a gentle caress. I want to be tenderized like a steak. I want my skeleton to be rearranged by the time I leave. Because by the end, I feel completely brand new. My pain has shapeshifted from muscle tension to deep-tissued aches from the therapist, and I love it.

 “How was it?” my masseuse asked in that signature, demure tone as I emerged from the dimly lit room, leaving behind the sounds of the Amazonian rainforest blaring in the background.

“It was great,” I choked out, my lungs still re inflating. “I feel like a new person.” The Bible says that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a “new person.”

Think of the most transformational moments in your life. Maybe it wasn’t a deep-tissue massage, but a long, hot shower after working outside all day. Maybe it was a healing conversation with a parent. Jesus promises that we will be renewed if we cling to him. Today, ask God to make you into a new person.