24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. Galatians 5:24-26 NIV
And from The Message...
Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good—crucified. Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives. That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original.
Galatians 5:24-26 MSG
And from Dr. Seuss...
ok...not really. The point is....and there are so many nuggets of wisdom just out of these few verses to chew on but....here is what the Martin family is studying:
If you are just concentrating on being who Christ is creating you to be...the things and people and circumstances around you will not affect you so much. For instance...we are in the Sears Catalog Gimme's season. Every commercial is geared so that we will say "oooh I want that!" Every store is filled & designed so that our flesh will cry out, "I NEED THAT!!!" When we are keeping in step with the spirit, we are continually carrying His cross and "killing off" the selfish desires. I get what the message says about this: Some may like to think that they are walking in the spirit, but really just walking in emotions, pulling out the Jesus Hallmark "card" whenever the need becomes a crisis. I also get that it's hard to keep walking, like on the treadmill. I have to tell you, I get tired walking on that horrible piece of machinery. I start out strong with great motivation, but then I want to slow down or get off. I look around and I see these tiny little muscly women with their tiny little booties in their tiny little leotards and all of a sudden I want to quit. Satan knows walking in the Spirit becomes tiring and that eventually our flesh will win out and get tired...which leads to comparing ourselves with each other...which never leads to anything good.
Ask God today to help you to celebrate your originality. Be who you are.
to be continued...
