During the old days of tent revivals and camp meetings, a certain preacher held revivals which he called “Quittin’ Meetings,” where people would come forward to openly repent of their sin, committing to quit various vices once and for all. Those in attendance readily renounced their evils and resolved to repudiate the ravaging sins in their lives. “I’m quittin’ smokin’ and a-drinkin’ right here and now,” one proclaimed. “I’m quittin’ swearin’ and gossip-tellin’ and I mean it!” exclaimed another. And one particular woman came forward at the end of the service, and when asked what she was quitting, she replied, “I ain’t been doing anything, and I am gonna quit that too!”

And that is what happens when you are truly converted by Jesus. When you come to Christ, you have a “quittin’ meeting” where you repent of your old sinful ways, and you have a “startin’ meeting,” where you start to live a new life of obedience. You kick your sins to the curb, and take up your cross to follow Jesus (Luke 9:23). You renounce the wicked works of darkness to live a life marked by good works (Rom. 13:12; James 2:14-26). You shed the filthy garments of your former ways and dress in the new attire of virtuous Christian living (Col. 3:5-14). The “old you” is buried in the grave of repentance, and you become a new person, enabled by Christ’s resurrection-power to walk in “newness of life” (Romans 6:4). 

Paul described it like this:

“So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God” (Rom. 6:11-13, NLT).

And this quittin’ and startin’ meeting is not something we do once at our conversion. It must be a continual practice. That is why the Scripture says, “Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, [and be] renewed in the spirit of your minds, [and] put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph. 4:22-24). Have you had a “quittin’ meeting” with Jesus? And, if you have, what is He calling you to quit and start?

Bible Gleanings is a widely-read weekend devotional column, written for the Murray Ledger & Times in Calloway County, Kentucky. 

Brandon is the founder and main contributor to Brandon’s Desk, the blog with biblical resources from his ministry. He pastored the family of believers at Locust Grove Baptist Church in Murray, Kentucky for six years. He and his wife Dakota live there with their three dogs, Susie (Jack Russell), Aries (English Shepherd), and Dot (Bluetick Beagle).

For more devotional entries like this, check out Brandon’s latest book, Bible Gleanings Volume II, which features 100 daily devotionals gleaned from God’s word: