Two different ways

What I say is this: let the Spirit direct your lives, and you will not satisfy the desires of the human nature. For what our human nature wants is opposed to what the Spirit wants, and what the Spirit wants is opposed to what our human nature wants. These two are enemies, and this means that you cannot do what you want to do.  (verses 16, 17)

Read Galatians 5:16-24

When we fail to live as the Spirit wants us to, this has a damaging effect on our relationships. This is because our ‘human nature’ makes it hard for us to love others and for others to love us. Our sinful human nature divides God’s people, the body of Christ, when we should be working together as one. It produces attitudes and actions that hurt people, offend them, put them down.

On the other hand, the Spirit builds relationships up. The influence of the Spirit in our lives is shown when we don’t give up on people who let us down, when we practise what we preach by forgiving someone. It can be seen in the serenity we experience of being forgiven and in the rich life this opens up. It makes us people others believe they can trust and rely on. With the Spirit we will be generous people, showing our love in the way we care. We will always seek to control our emotions, especially those which hurt. At the same time our joy will be obvious and infectious.

So, for the sake of others and ourselves we should use the power of the Spirit to fight and to win the battle.

Lord, you know of the struggle within me day after day. Each day forgive me and strengthen me to use your power, so that the battle can be won. Amen.

by Robert Turnbull, in ‘Living Water for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 2001)

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