Updates

Yesterday afternoon I received a notice from my computer that updates were available for some of my software. This is not that unusual as software developers are constantly working to improve their products.

As the updates were downloading and installing, it occurred to me that as people we need to make sure we are getting our upgrades. My computer checks on a regularly scheduled basis for new versions of my software. It could check daily if I desired.

From time to time, the updates stop and the developer will issue an upgrade. This is different in that it often involves more features, not just improvements, and it usually requires spending more money for the upgrade. Updates are free.

We need to check daily if there are areas in our life that need to be updated and even at times upgraded. The Holy Spirit uses the Bible and our prayer time to help us make sure we have the newest “updates” with what God is doing in our lives. There are times that the Spirit will show us an area that needs major attention and we must “upgrade” by changing how we do some thing(s) or the way we think in some area(s).

If we are not participating in God’s plan to keep us up to date, we will miss out on the latest thing He wants to do in us.

A computer that doesn’t get proper maintenance and updates will over time begin to slow down and loose its efficiency and eventually crash as files get corrupted and programs get fouled in their source code: conflicts arise and the operating system gets clogged with too many processes (PC's anyway :-)).

A Christian that doesn’t receive the proper correction and instruction from the Holy Spirit and God’s Word will begin to slow down in their faith. They will loose their trust in God and eventually become cynical and jaded causing a “crash” in their walk with God. This will cause conflicts and compromise to arise within them and their thinking will become clogged with too many distortions of truth.

Romans 12 tell us to be transformed by the renewing of our mind. In computer speak this would be a low level reformat of the hard drive which cleans out the old junk and preps it to receive new uncorrupted code. Once that is done, a plan of proper, on-going maintenance is needed to keep the junk from coming back.