Hosea 7:9
"Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not."
Several months ago I was going back to the hotel room after a church service with a preacher friend, and we both stepped into the elevator to go to the floor our rooms were on. While we were in the elevator, this preacher friend began to look at me a little strange. For the life of me, I couldn't figure out what was wrong. He then began to get a smirk on his face and he said, "Bro. Domelle, you are getting gray hairs." At first I couldn't believe it. I thought he was pulling my leg, but I soon realized he was serious. When I got into my room, I immediately went to the mirror to see if this preacher was right. Sure enough, there were plenty of gray hairs that I hadn't noticed. The gray hairs had gradually come upon me, and it took someone else to point them out.
God said in the verse above, "...gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not." The change from a head full of color to becoming gray headed happens gradually. You will never notice it, but those who are not around you will. That is how change happens in our lives. Many times we think we are the same people we've always been, but often we don't see the changes in our lives. The change that happens doesn't come immediately, but gradually the changes happen in our life, and before long we are a completely different person than when we started.
You must realize that the Devil is not interested in immediate change. Just like a person goes gray headed a little here and there, likewise the Devil sends changes into our lives that he knows we will accept a little here and there. There are many people who will accept things today that they would have never accepted years ago. Years ago you would have never watched the television shows that you watch today. Years ago you would not have supported a college or preacher that you do today. Years ago you would not have allowed your children to do things that they do today. Just a little here and there changes come in, and before we know it we are completely different than what we used to be.
If you are going to avoid these changes, then you are going to have to listen to the warnings of others. Often people will tell us we are not the same, but we brush their comments off as ignorance. If someone feels you have changed, then you would be wise to listen to them. Most likely they have no ulterior motive in telling you that you've changed, so when you hear the hints about your change, you would be wise to listen.
Furthermore, you would also be wise to listen to the criticisms of your enemies. There are times when your enemies will say you have changed, but because they are against you, you won't listen. Instead of brushing it off, you would be wise to take an honest look at yourself and be sure you've not changed.
Finally, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal areas where you have gradually changed. Ask the Holy Spirit if you have become spiritually gray headed and don't know it. The Holy Spirit will certainly be willing to reveal to you where you've changed if you honestly want to correct these areas.
Has someone recently been saying that you've changed? I encourage you to take a close look in the spiritual mirror of the Word of God, and ask the Holy Spirit to shine a light on your spiritual gray hairs. When you see you've changed in certain areas, then don't brush them off, but quickly get back to being who and what you are supposed to be.