So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. (2 Corinthians 4:16, ESV)
After taking several months away from playing golf due to some health issues, I am finally able to play again. I am not expecting to play great golf right now, but I am happy to get out on the course again. I have not changed much in my approach to the game, but I have incorporated a new pre- and post-round routine that really helps. It is called ibuprofen. It does not help me hit the ball any farther, but it helps me not regret that I played afterwards.
While playing a few days ago, I noticed that I kept coming up short with my approach shots. I know my swing speed is not quite what it used to be, but I should not be coming up 10-15 yards short with a wedge.
After hitting a good drive on a par-5, I had the opportunity to go for the green in two. While I was waiting for the group in front of us, I shot the pin with my rangefinder to get my yardage. It read 218. My playing partner laid up, and then he drove his cart up next to mine. Out of curiosity, he shot the flag with his rangefinder and said, “240.”
“Did you say 240?” I replied. He shot it again and confirmed.
I checked mine again, and it showed 218 again. Then I noticed the M next to the number. My device had somehow been switched to meters instead of yards. I guess that explained why I had been coming up short on a few shots.
As we mature in Christ, the Holy Spirit equips our inner self with greater eternal vision.After a good laugh and feeling a little foolish, I felt much better knowing that my body had not regressed as much as I had thought, even if my mind had!
As we age, we all see areas where our bodies show signs of decay. I can only assume the apostle Paul was in his 40s by the time he wrote today’s verse. However, let’s not focus on the first part of this verse. It is our “inner self” that should get the attention. In Christ, we are being renewed day by day. This is life in the kingdom of God.
There are plenty of things to be discouraged by with all we see going on in the world (or in the mirror), but that is not what God sees. “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18, NASB).
As we mature in Christ, the Holy Spirit equips our inner self with greater eternal vision. As this happens, we begin to see with greater clarity what God is up to in various situations. We stop asking God, “Why things are happening?” and we start asking him, “What are you up to?” and “What is my role is in this situation?”
As we grow more invested into the eternal, unseen realm of God, we become renewed in our inner self regardless of what is happening to our outer self or the chaotic world around us. We become content regardless of our circumstances, and nothing can rob us of our peace and joy. It is our inner person, the one living in an unseen world, that in our growth we realize is the truest thing about us.
My prayer is that despite what circumstances you find your outer self in, that today you are being renewed on the inside.
—
Josh Nelson
July 15, 2020
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The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.