THE FIRE OF HIS INSPIRATION … be renewed in the spirit of your mind … put on the new self … laying aside falsehood, speak truth … Be angry … do not sin … do not give the devil an opportunity … steal no longer; but rather … labor … Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth … Do not grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:23-30) The commands continue on to the end of the chapter. What do you feel after reading this partial laundry list of do’s and don’ts? Do you feel pressured, guilty, insecure, over whelmed or burdened? Anyone who is a perfectionist or who has a hurry- up attitude and style of living will likely experience at least one of those emotions, although I don’t believe that is God’s intent. It is interesting what an individual will add to Scripture, such as the speed at which something should be done or, if older, that one’s mature character should be near completion by now. I believe God places reminders in front of us about how we are to live. As long as we are on the path of growing in faith and improving our hearts and behavior, slow or fast, it is enough. And we cannot compare ourselves to others for we all start out at different levels regarding temptations, power of one’s sin nature, support, intelligence, insight, personal traumas, and motivation and tolerance for change. It is likely God evaluates us by considering the distance we have traveled during the years of living, along with many other factors, such as those above. It is better to pace one’s self in changing rather than to burn out from self-pressure and discover he or she can’t finish the race.
Posted on: Mon, 29 Jul 2013 19:38:22 +0000