As I read Galations 5: 13 – 15 this morning it reads:
“For brethren, he have been called unto liberty only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. But if he bite and devour one another, take heed that he be not consumed one of another.
This I say then, walk in the spirit and he shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.”
The love aspect of this hit me harder this morning for some reason. So often as Christians we forget we’re all going through the same thing, even if not individually specific things, we generally are all going through trials. All of us are going through something together we need by all means to extend grace. We view each other through the eyes of our distorted view and selfish mindset all of this stems from the flesh. The flesh is selfish, unclean, indulges in hatred, wrath, idolatry and strife as the word says.
Why do we trust our flesh so much when all it will do it lead us to destruction? The way of the world would have us to think “do what’s best for you” “indulge in those activities because it it makes you feel good you should do it”. This is not always the case, the things that make us feel uncomfortable is often what is the best thing that needs to happen to us in that moment.
So let us learn to walk in the SPIRIT though uncomfortable at times, the BEST way for us to live. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” Galations 5:22-23. “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with it’s affections and lusts” Galations 5:24. I know the flesh will arise at some points but can we be intentional about choosing the way of the spirit that will not lead us to death in the end? I would hope you choose life.
Let us therefore extend grace to others who are experiencing it like us, let us try encouraging someone else for a change and in doing so you will be surprised how much it also helps yourself.
God give us the grace to love others as our self, let us not take the liberty we have been given to indulge in hatred, back biting, gossip, sexual immorality or any other works of the flesh. Let us instead be intentional about serving and loving other people because we are all one in Christ. Our obedience in this manner will break cycles and bondage beyond our knowledge, in Jesus Christ’s name amen.