As I was reading this today I just kept seeing the old me being gone. Not the foundation of who I am, like personality and character, but the worldly desires and the things I did selfishly. As I believe in who I am in Christ and I seek more knowledge, I can grow to be more like Christ and less like the old me. Jesus taught us "not our will be done." That is opposite of our sinful nature which is the way we were born. When we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior we become new, and with that new comes the desires to be like Jesus. In verse 10 it says “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”
When we believe that we are God's masterpiece we desire the change that takes place and we start looking at a new life that isn't driven by our flesh. Our selfishness becomes less and our focus changes to outward thinking. The Holy Spirit in us will show us what we need to do and as we learn and grow we keep maturing. When we allow God to transform us we don't try and live for what pleases ourselves we start to focus on what will help and develop others. The words (I was born that way) should be out of our vocabulary because that part has been removed and replaced. We should surrender everything and say, whatever I can do for God I am ready to do. I love these verses in Psalm chapter 139 verses 23-24 which say, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life."
As we continue to grow we don't just loose who we were, but our focus changes and we become better because of Christ. We all need to pray daily for strength and read daily for wisdom and be thankful daily for a gift that leads us away from our sinful selves and helps us live for Him. Salvation is the free gift but our working hard is how God gets the glory. When we forget the past and move forward we continue to do our work on the great commission, baptizing and teaching people to obey all that we have learned. Amen