Cutting Away What Cannot Remain
Each cut removes what cannot remain, revealing the brilliance within.
Devotional Credit:
His Victorious Indwelling – by L. E. Maxwell and G. Marshall
Photo Credit:
Unsplash
We are creatures of habit, often letting old patterns dictate our reactions. Even as believers, it is easy to settle into familiar ruts of selfishness, complaint, or thin-skinned pride. Today’s devotional compiled by Nick Harrison points out that these tendencies, though subtle, are still expressions of the flesh—old ways of thinking and reacting that do not belong in the life of one who has been raised with Jesus.
The writers remind us that the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead lives in us, and that His life empowers us to put to death the deeds of the body. Complaining, self-pity, and pride are not simply weaknesses to be tolerated; they are invitations to let the Cross cancel the flesh’s influence. Victory is not automatic, but it is certain when we yield to the Spirit’s work in us.
L. E. Maxwell warns against a religious flesh that craves signs, thrills, or personal glory, even in God’s presence. He reminds us that the flesh must go to the Cross before the Spirit’s life is experienced in power. G. Marshall likens believers to rough diamonds—cut, shaped, and polished by God through the circumstances and people He uses. Each cut removes what cannot remain, so the true brilliance of Christ in us may be seen.
The message is clear: our circumstances do not create the flesh’s reactions, they reveal them. God’s purpose is not to leave us as we are, but to conform us to the image of His Son by removing what belongs to the old life. The more we submit to this refining, the more His glory will shine through us.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
You are not bound to the patterns of your old life. The Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, giving life to your mortal body. I have set you free from the law of sin and death, and I call you to walk in step with My Spirit.
When you face criticism, disappointment, or delay, remember that these moments do not create your response, they reveal it. Yield what surfaces to Me. Let the Cross put to death pride, self-pity, and the craving for recognition. I am at work to cut away what cannot remain, so that what is eternal may be seen.
Do not fear the refining process. I have chosen you as My workmanship, and My hand is steady. The testing of your faith is more precious than gold, for it reveals the reality of My life in you. As you yield, you will find that your reactions align more with My heart, and the glory others see will not be yours but Mine.
Scripture References: Romans 8:11, Romans 8:13, Galatians 2:20, Galatians 5:24–25, Colossians 3:1–4, 1 Peter 1:6–7, Philippians 2:13
Real-Life Analogy
Think of a skilled jeweler working on a rough gemstone. Each precise cut removes a part of the stone that would block light from shining through. The jeweler is not destroying the gem, but revealing its beauty. In the same way, God uses circumstances and people to remove what dims His light in us.
Today, if someone’s words sting or a situation tests your patience, rather than defend yourself, pause and say, “Lord, I trust You to use this moment to shape me so Your life is seen more clearly in me.” This shifts your focus from self-preservation to Spirit-led transformation.
Prayer of Confidence
Lord, thank You that the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead lives in me. I praise You that every circumstance is an opportunity for Your life to be revealed. I rest in the truth that You are shaping me into a vessel that reflects Your glory, and I rejoice that nothing in my life is wasted in Your hands.