Thursday, September 29, 2011

The Struggle of the Flesh

Galatians 6:7-9 says, "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap. For he that sows to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption, but he that sows to the Spirit shall of the Sprit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well-doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."

There is so much to see in these few verses, but I'm going to zero in on just one aspect because it's what I've been struggling with lately. Do you ever have those times when you want what you want when you want it and you want to do things your own way; you want to follow the ways of the flesh? If not, then you can stop reading right now because this won't pertain to you! But if you do, then you can understand my battle. Do you ever just want to stop the world and get off? Do you ever feel that the price of following the Lord is too high? I've struggled with these issues lately. I have felt that God is requiring more of me and I wasn't sure that I wanted to pay the price. Ha! Just writing this shows me how foolish I have been. I think all along I knew I would submit to God's ways, but I had to have my "temper tantrum" just to let him know I wasn't happy about it. Forgive me, Lord, when I think I have a choice; when I think I might know better; when I rail against your perfect will for me.

I had a choice to make or, I think God, in His mercy, let me think I had a choice. I really don't; if I really want to follow the Lord and receive His blessings, and I do, then I have no choice. If He is really Lord of my life, I have no choice. If I really love God and want to continue to pursue Him, I have no choice. But I did have to speak directly to my flesh and make the declaration to that effect. So on Monday of this past week, I wrote in my journal what my choice was and exactly what I was declaring so in the future if I think again that I have a choice, I can go back and read in my journal that I already made that choice. There should be no struggle in the future. Unfortunately, there shouldn't be, but there probably will be because we are here on earth in the flesh and the fleshly nature wants it's own way. But I have proof, in my journal, that I have chosen to follow the Spirit and if I do not grow weary in well-doing, I WILL reap life everlasting. I will reap a harvest of God's blessings in my life and I will reap the greater thing of relationship with Him and knowing that I have chosen to please Him and not my flesh.

May you make that choice, too. His ways are so much higher than ours and the blessing of fellowship with Him is so much richer than anything we could possibly gain by following our flesh. God bless you!

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