Last week’s blog was about how simple the Lord’s will is for us.
1. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and with all your mind.
2. Love your neighbor as yourself.
I also talk about these two things in the blog Tabula Rasa.
The above should be a guide, a unit of measure, a reminder…
If we are actively trying to live out the Lord’s will for us then we should be seeing the above in action within every area of our lives.
If we aren’t, then something is askew.
It means we’ve fallen off course somewhere.
This is a dangerous place to live. It’s easy to get lost there.
The Struggle is Real
I know for myself I struggle repeatedly in certain areas.
Being brutally honest is a must, check that heart of yours to the fullest. (I have to do this daily)
If I’m loving the Lord with all my heart, soul, and mind.
That means I’m not worrying (I am a chronic worrier since having children)
I can’t tell you how many times a DAY I find myself worrying.
About some of the craziest of things. Things I have 0 control over…
So, why spend the time worrying? Yet, I do.
I also tend to fall prey to gossip.
It’s everywhere people love it and thrive off of it.
I try to not join in the conversation if the person spoken of isn’t present.
Or to change the subject off of the person others may be speaking of.
There is also the very direct “Hey friends if it isn’t something we should say to their face…
Why are we saying it now?”
If I happen to fall into that rabbit hole, I notice it takes flight immediately.
Coveting, My goodness it is hard not to covet others.
Owning a pet, or a vehicle that is less than 10 years old, A big kitchen, A house…
These are all things that we’ve had in life but have gotten rid of in order to come to Seminary.
All but the vehicle, we’ve always owned old in that department.
To the point, it’s easy to covet. I covet all the things we’ve “lost” but others still have. It’s silly.
We will have these things again one day.
We live in a world of materials and are by changing nature becoming more and more materialistic.
Because of this coveting is more and more frequent than it once was.
Other things I think we covet without realizing. Our neighbors slightly bigger (insert object).
A newer version of a cell phone, laptop, car, headphones…the list goes on.
These I call the Tricky 3.
They are a natural habit in many people’s lives. Think of the conversations you’ve had with friends.
I for one often bring up worries, I let my neurosis get the best of me, more times than I’d like to claim.
When I say this is a daily thing for me, the reality is it’s more like an hourly thing for me. Constantly turning it over to God. I’ll have days, weeks, and months go by where I rarely worry. Then something happens that hits close to home and back down the rabbit hole I go. Being transparent in my struggle helps me to hold myself accountable.
Holding oneself Accountable
I deem them the tricky 3 due to how many people let them take root in their lives. Myself included.
Pay attention this week, listen to the conversations around you.
Listen to your own conversations and thoughts.
How often do you find yourself worrying about something?
Are you talking with people or about people?
Is there something out there you’re wishing was yours?
The bottom line.
All of the above is a form of sin.
Sin grabs onto sin and keeps pulling us deeper.
The only way to overcome it…
Invite the Spirit of the Lord to work in your life.
We are in constant need of being present with the spirit.
We also need to recognize it’s already been paid for.
My sin, your sin, the whole world’s sin.
It died on the cross with Jesus.
When I find myself falling prey to the tricky 3.
I visualize the cross. I won’t get graphic here, but I visualize it all.
The pain that Jesus took on so that we may live a life free of sin.
It helps me to get back on course. To remember what I am doing here.
Letting go of the hold these things can place on one’s life, is not only freeing.
It free’s you up to focus on…
1. Loving the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.
2. Loving your neighbor as yourself.