Renewal Requires Letting Go

“But now, put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth.” - Colossians 3:8 (CSB)

One of the most common misunderstandings about spiritual growth is the belief that renewal is mainly about addition. We assume change happens when we add better habits, stronger disciplines, or more spiritual activities to our lives. While those things matter, Paul reminds us that renewal also requires subtraction.

There are things that must be put off.

Paul does not list neutral behaviors. He names patterns that often feel justified. Anger that feels earned. Words that feel deserved. Reactions we excuse because of what we have been through. These are not just behaviors. They are responses rooted in old ways of thinking and old ways of protecting ourselves.

Renewal is uncomfortable because it requires honesty about what no longer belongs.
We often want God to renew us without challenging what we cling to for control or relief. We ask Him to change outcomes while allowing familiar sins to remain untouched. But God’s renewal is not cosmetic. He does not simply layer new behavior on top of old instincts. He calls us to release what contradicts the life He is forming in us.

This is not about self-improvement through willpower. Paul is not telling believers to manufacture holiness on their own. He is calling them to live consistently with the identity they already have. Because you are new in Christ, these old patterns no longer fit.

Letting go is difficult because old patterns once served a purpose. Anger may have helped you feel strong. Harsh words may have helped you feel heard. Control may have helped you feel safe. But what once felt protective eventually becomes destructive.

Renewal invites us to trust God with what we have used to protect ourselves.

Putting off old patterns does not mean pretending they never existed. It means refusing to let them continue shaping who you are becoming. God does not shame us for what needs to be removed. He names it because He intends to replace it with something better.

Reflection Question
What reaction, habit, or pattern do you justify that God may be inviting you to release?

Renewal is not only about what you add, but what you are willing to let go.

Prayer
Father, I confess that I often hold on to patterns that feel familiar even when they harm me. Give me courage to release what no longer belongs in my life. Help me trust You with what I have used to protect myself. Replace old patterns with Your peace and truth as You continue Your work in me. Amen.