Oh, sure I have times I seem to fly above these temptations, but every now and again I find myself wallowing in them like a pig wallowing in the mud.
I think one reason we (I) do this is because we forget that joy, peace and happiness are not found in externals (if I could just have a perfectly painted, cleaned and decorated house then I would be happy?!, if I had the perfect spouse?!, if I had savings and all my bills paid in full?!, if I was at my ideal weight?! or if my life was perfectly organized, my nails and hair beautiful everyday and every outfit perfectly done like all the pins I see on Pinterest then I would happy ...)
NO! We've been duped! Peace and joy aren't found in those things, those are externals ... okay, maybe we experience some temporary happiness when the house is cleaned for instance, but then the house gets dirty again and there goes our happiness. No we do not want temporary happiness, we want deep down joy that never runs dry!
Joy, peace and happiness come from a mind that truly knows the God we serve. Who is this God?
Romans 8 tells us that HE is a God who overcame the power of sin and death. He is a God who desires us to experience life in the power of the Holy Spirit. HE is a God of life and peace.
Friends, the good news is we have been set free. We don't have to overcome these temptations by our own power, but by the power of God's Spirit that is at work in you and in me - the LIVING, BREATHING GOD!
The dilemma? Too often we (I) focus on self and focusing on self is the OPPOSITE of focusing on God.
What can we (I) do about this? We can RE-focus (again!) Focus on God and realize the power living in us. The power of a living and loving God who overcame sin and it's power. I am not to be fooled into believing lies - sin is dead and I am not to give it life again (& again). I am not to let Christ's death for me be in vain.
Oh (sigh) I miss this point too often, more than I should! I give sin back it's power, but God's Son died to overcome sin and death and I must not allow myself to give into the flesh and it's desires.
I am so glad that God continues to lovingly and mercifully work in my life. I am not the person I was last year and certainly not the person I was 5, 10, 15 or 20 years ago! I have seen positive, godly changes in my life. Praise Him! I certainly haven't arrived, but I know God is with me renewing my mind and helping me to grow in Him everyday.
Sometimes it is easier to take the "easy" way, to do what we want for the moment and to gratify worldly desires. As a mom for example, sometimes it's easier to not correct your child in the moment, to forget to deal with his or her heart, and just to deal with the behavior, but then you constantly are dealing with a particular behavioral issue. If I had taken the time (giving up time is hard to do sometimes) and dealt with the heart in a Biblical way then maybe, just maybe, I wouldn't be constantly fighting the behavior. The same thing is true for our own lives and behaviors. If we just take the extra time and deal with the heart issues by taking them to the Word then we will see true life changes. Any real change in my life is because of the work HE has done in me! Then the peace comes, right? And with peace is joy and happiness and as His Word says ...
Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy;
at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Psalms 16:11
... there will be fullness of joy and pleasures for evermore! That my friends, is reason enough to take the time, to renew our minds, to focus on the power that is living in us and to leave sin where He put it - in the grave!
Don't give sin back it's power ... He puts before us the choice, life and death ... choose LIFE and choose joy, peace and happiness!
Blessings Abundant,
Michelle
No comments:
Post a Comment