Too many of us seem to feel that since we have been baptized and received God’s Holy Spirit we do not have a carnal mind any longer. We tend to consider the way we do or look at things as God’s way.
If we discover a fault in ourselves or if one is brought to our attention we tend to generalize or excuse it by saying “Nobody is perfect!” Or we say, “I know I have got to overcome and I am trying but I just can’t do everything at once.”
Yes, we’re trying. We’re very trying to God. These weak excuses are absolute proof we still have carnal, worldly minds.
How many times have you heard people say, “I’m just a stiff necked Israelite, that’s all,.” “I’m hard headed,” or “I have a very quick temper and I tend to jump to conclusions.”
Some try to blame their problems on their parents, spouse, siblings or friends.
Or, are we just weak and lazy? Overcoming takes hard work. We have been called to defeat, to conquer, and to overcome what we are.
God never inspired in His word that we are to come “just as I am.” We can’t come the way we are now to God. We must change.
Some people refuse to change their lives, even after receiving God’s Spirit, because they would rather stay the way they are and suffer. Suffering is familiar and comfortable. Some people would rather go on making the same mistakes over and over than to make the effort to admit them and to work on overcoming them. Sadly, this is a category I feel I have lived most of my life in.
To move ahead in Christian growth we must take chances, try things we’ve never tried before. We must stop using crutches, such excuses as family heredity, environment or even poor health, stand on our own two feet and work at overcoming the way we are. With God’s help all things are possible. Read Matthew 19:26, I’m glad He’s on our side.
Some are afraid to change. A lot of times it’s a fear of failure. Or we’re afraid to reveal where we’ve been wrong. We don’t want anyone to know we make mistakes.
All of us need to back off once in awhile, step out of the dense forest of our daily responsibilities and take a discerning and realistic look at ourselves, our labors, our fruits and even our daily shortcomings.
As we obey God’s will in our daily lives, we can overcome and bear fruit. We will not just occasionally serve; we will be “fruitful in every good work” (Colossians 1:10). And believe me there is a great spin-off if we are striving to learn God’s will and are overcoming.
As we walk, live by the commandments, work at overcoming and being an example to others as God instructs, we get to know Him better and better. We become more like Him in every way. This is what qualifies us for His family.
We need to ask ourselves these questions. Am I always putting off what I know I need to overcome? Do I find it harder and harder to say no to temptation? Am I seriously striving to overcome those little longstanding flaws in my life?
While God’s word exhorts us to change, He does not expect it to happen completely overnight. We often experience the tension between the old man Paul spoke of in Romans 6:6 and the new, so that we feel we are two people.
The apostle Paul felt this tension at times. Read his confession in Romans 7:15.
Paul felt his strong human nature sabotaging his good intentions. The forces of the inward man caused him to stumble and at times fail himself and others (verse 24).
But did Paul just give up and say “Oh well that just the way I am”? No. He believed in God and the living example of Christ. Christ shows us how to overcome. Read Romans 7 and 8 in your personal bible study.
In addition to his belief in God’s living laws, Paul could live with and work on his shortcomings because he believed in God’s people’s ability to change.
Throughout his writings Paul urges us to choose a more perfect way, which assumes our ability to grow with the help of God’s Holy Spirit. Through obedience and perseverance we gradually learn the new way of living God’s ways. We must be absolutely committed to eliminating harmful old habits and attitudes and to developing new way of doing and living God’s laws.
Learn to live by the Spirit of God, not human nature. By the grace of God the Father and help of friends and family, the gap between our intentions and actions will gradually narrow. Do as James wrote in James 1:4.
As we reach for godly perfection we need to learn to enjoy life, to laugh, to grow, to care, to work and to help others. Always remember we have the power to change, with God’s help.
Thank God daily for His Spirit and His willingness to help us change. We must never say, “I’m not able to change.” God just won’t accept it.
