We are given good exhortation from Paul in Gal. 5:16 where he writes, ”So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.” I like how the Message translation says it, “My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit. Then you won’t feed the compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness.” Paul goes on to say: we need to chose to be led by the Spirit so as not to live under our erratic compulsions as we try to live whatever we feel like on any given day.
There are times I just say to the Lord, ‘I’m not there yet, as I’m not wanting to do what you ask, but I am saying no to my flesh and will do your will.” I am always glad later, and the good feelings also seem to catch up. Jesus paid the ultimate price of following His Father’s will even to the point of death. He trusted His Father in all that He went through, and the more we trust Him, we will desire His will above ours. Jesus knows and cares about our needs even more than we do, so let us trust Him for what is best and not our flesh!!
Leave a Reply