Don't Try to Walk Before You Can Crawl

Do you have a desire to grow spiritually but for some reason, you seem to be stuck?

Does your spiritual life feel stagnate?

Do you find yourself always revisiting the same failures and issues?

I have always dreaded that moment when it was my turn "to bat". The last time was when I joined in a game of kickball with my daughter's youth group and their parents. I stood at home base, anxiously watching the ball roll. Come on, Amy, just kick it and have fun. I went for it and yes!, I kicked that ball and ran with all my might. About half way to first base, I had the strangest sensation that I was falling forward. In reality, I was falling forward. My face was on a collision course with the ground and I couldn't do anything to stop it. I hadn't tripped, neither had anyone pushed me. My feet simply didn't move with the rest of my body. It was like my upper half was determined to keep racing, while my feet had a different goal. Talk about embarrassing!

The spiritual life can feel like that. You want to race well but something keeps holding you back. It's as if there are two forces working against each other, keeping you stuck, confused and discouraged. The truth is that just such a conflict exists inside every believer.

What do you make of that? Am I going too far to say EVERY believer? I bet you think there are some who don't struggle in their spiritual life, don't you? I know you have watched other believers, comparing your progress to theirs, like they were spiritual competitors. Your eyes fall on those who seem so far ahead, who seem to never struggle and you wonder what is wrong with you. Why can't you stay strong like that?

Paul tells us in his letter to the Galatians, that the desires of the flesh and the desires of the Spirit are in opposition to each other. They are constantly working against each other. Most of us don't like opposition even when it is good for us. My daughter tells me "Mom, you really don't want to eat that donut, you know it won't help you lose weight". Suddenly, I want to eat that donut just because I can.

In your spiritual life, however, opposition is a good thing. It could be evidence that the Spirit is gaining more control to which the flesh is going to resist, or it could be that the Spirit is resisting the self-satisfaction of your flesh. Either way, your struggle is healthy, it is better than giving in or giving up.