The shades covering the window in our bedroom were atrocious. They were the adhesive variety that we purchased out of sheer necessity with little regard to aesthetics. I don’t know why it took me so long to replace them, other than the fact that I managed to convince myself that they looked fine.


Eventually, the old shades came down and new ones went up. Even as flimsy as they were, that cheap adhesive proved a formidable challenge. In order to make room for new ones, the old had to be eliminated completely.


The same is true of the attitudes we harbor in our hearts at times. We convince ourselves that making changes requires too much work. Our brains tell us that what God has to offer in exchange for the old way of doing things can’t possibly be better than whatever we attempt on our own.


Like installing the new shades, the Holy Spirit works by establishing new attitudes. God’s will unfolds, and we learn that His good and saving grace is the only permanent thing worth treasuring.