I have a default setting, and that is to do what comes naturally.
Problem is that by going with the default setting, I consistently choose not to walk by the Spirit.
Just what do I mean by "naturally"?
I mean my physical flesh, my human nature, my sinful nature, my personality, my emotions, my hormones, my old self, my skills, my talents, my traits good or bad, my passions and desires. By default, I will react according to my human nature. By default, I will walk in the flesh, trying to "put my best foot forward."
What comes naturally to you?
Let's see if I think about it, what can I come up with?
It is natural for me to rely on myself, complain, be irritable, be influenced by my hormones, whine, yell, plot revenge, pout, show off, demand my rights, ridicule others, be impatient, flirt, be sensual, gossip, take the easy way out, put my needs first, defend myself, avoid suffering, think I'm right, want to look good in front of others, compare myself, be jealous, divide, compete, get angry, give up, be self-righteous, seek justice, deny mercy.
STOP!
Truthfully, it is what I do without thinking, what I revert to when I'm tired, when I'm not exercising any self-control. (which is most of the time)
I don't ever wake up saying to myself, now today you need to work on being irritable. It's not like my first instinct is to think I'm wrong and have to tell myself "be willing to be right", ha! No one had to teach me to impress others, I caught on to that quite naturally. I have a natural tendency to want to hide or fix those things I don't like about myself, while promoting the things I do. I put the positive out on stage for all to see, and cover up the negatives behind the curtain. At least, that is what I think I'm doing. But in the end, it is all natural, all fleshly, all worldly. Like the filthy rags of my righteous deeds, eventually, my impressive acts look like what they are, dull, stained, tarnished, rotting, selfish, worthy of the dung heap.
Can there be spiritual value in what comes naturally to us? Do we mistakenly infuse what is natural with spiritual virtue? Is there virtue in being musically gifted, in being at ease talking in front of a big crowd, in being a people-pleaser, in being soft spoken, in being attractive or good at making friends? Do any of these things make us spiritual?
Some of what is natural requires death to deal with it, and some of it requires a good haul to the trash dump, all of it needs to come under the control of the Spirit. Paul would tell us that death, to some degree, has already occurred in the believer, "our old self was crucified with Him" (Romans 6:6), and "those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires" (Galatians 5:24). He would also say that we play an active role in "putting to death whatever belongs to your earthly nature", while replacing it with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, meekness, patience, tolerance and forgiveness, specifically for someone you would rather complain about, and above all love, the glue that holds us all together in harmony. We must also rid ourselves of such things as anger, rage, malice, slander, filthy language and lying.
(Colossians 3)
To walk by the Spirit, requires something that is completely unnatural to who I am, and completely impossible without the Spirit. It is unnatural for me to admit I need help, to be wrong, to turn the other cheek, to love my enemies, do good to them, submit, give thanks in all things, suffer, be weak, surrender my rights, love mercy, be faithful, pray, be humble, be content, unify, be a slave, give in.
Crucifying the flesh is just not natural!
Without the Spirit, how can we even begin to choose to die to self today, and again tomorrow, and the next day after that?
Every day now I am tested, and this Scripture I read, these words I write reverberate in my head. Then I tell myself...
"this is it"
"this is your chance to die"
"this is your chance to feel the weight of the beam on your shoulders."
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