LIFE is different now. It’s like this meadow mist. Fresh and new every morning. What I cared so much for, I couldn’t care less about. All has changed, seemingly. I have new joys, new affections that are precious to me. I now love people. Especially older slower wiser ones.
What or who changes us? God. What we lack relationally, he supplies. And he blesses us with those who’ve learned to love rightly.
God often uses trauma to transform us. And in doing so, he fans the flames of true and better loves. He doesn’t simply swap affections—the shabby for the shiny—he drives them out by refilling us with his loves.
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. ” (I John 2:15-16 ESV)
The Scottish theologian and astronomer Thomas Chalmers described our attempts to not love the world thusly. (I enjoy using words of smarter men … like thusly.)
The empty beaker
“There are two ways in which a practical moralist may attempt to displace from the human heart its love of the world—either by a demonstration of the world’s vanity, so as that the heart shall be prevailed upon simply to withdraw its regards from an object that is not worthy of it; or, by setting forth another object, even God, as more worthy of its attachment, so as that the heart shall be prevailed upon not to resign an old affection, which shall have nothing to succeed it, but to exchange an old affection for a new one.”
Chalmers posited that the solution to our love problem is not trying to simply subtract them. He used an “empty” beaker to illustrate that one shouldn’t remove wrong loves and leave a void; they must be displaced with better ones. And the swap requires much more than the efforts of a determined sinner. It takes the power of a loving God.
When someone draws significance from position or power or role and is suddenly unable to pursue a lesser love, he will feel lost. Through illness and age, his significance will have no source and he will wither. His life’s impact will be evanescent (Chalmers), not eternal. The impact he’s made in the world will have sounded to whatever degree—great or small—but will fade and cease like the reverberation of a resting bell.
Life built on lesser loves will likely become empty for most and a misery for others. We don’t consider this when we’re indulging in love for the world.
There is only one escape—to ask God to fill you with new affections, his loves. For forever joy and peace, it’s wise to nurture new and better loves in the here and now. God alone is the source of all that is true, good and beautiful, and as fallen creatures, we need his loving hands to shape and reshape us.
Best new affection?
A genuine love for God. God is loving, wise and good. Why wouldn’t we? Our bodies are failing and life here is short. And if you’re a child of God, your life is not your own.
“You are not your own, for you were bought with a price” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20 ESV)
New loves can be precious. Fresh affections can be like a second breakfast with true brothers on a long and hard journey. Lesser, shabby, worldly loves are like The Ring, and we’re like Gollum. We will sin. A bitter thought against a loved one, a wrong attitude against a brother or sister or stranger. With new affections, willful sin will become deeply grievous.
Do you hate that you love the world? Ask God to create new affections in you. He can do it the “easy” way or the hard way. (Tough love can hurt.) But his way will always be the best way. It will lead you to better, brighter, joyful new loves.
If you’re his child, it will happen. When it does, you’ll know you’re further along in your journey to complete and sanctified joy. You’ll be free to enjoy a second breakfast.
“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6 ESV)
Take heart, fellow sinner, Jesus has overcome the world. Draw near him. Taste and see. He can make all things new.