In today’s society, we often fit into the mold of the world around us, and we go along in order to get along. We abandon our true inner self in order to promote our stock in other people’s eyes. We trade our beliefs and goals for what is more socially acceptable. We also ignore God and His plans for our life (Ephesians 2:10).
As God’s Spirit sanctifies our soul – making us more like Jesus – He replaces our critical spirit with discernment, our unsympathetic nature with gentleness, our penchant to manipulate and to control others to keep our self safe with acceptance, our focus on the flesh with the desires of God for our spiritual maturity, etc. The list goes on until His fruit take over our personality (Galatians 5:22-23).
Detachment from this world, its lusts, satanic lies, and our carnal desires gives us more time and energy for developing our intimacy with God. We start to recognize the blessings of God in our life and we live a life filled with gratitude, peace, and deep inner joy regardless of our circumstance.
God searches us and knows our heart, tries us and knows our thoughts. He sees if there is any wickedness left in our soul and He leads us away from sin, and toward His everlasting path for us (Psalm 139:23-24; Ephesians 2:20). This purging and pruning leaves us with room and energy to pursue holiness.
He calls on us to take frequent searching inventories of our thoughts, words, attitude and behavior to see if they line up with His principles. At times, we need to make an adjustment, or care for one of our needs, or to forgive and trust God with some issue.
We also start to notice the little things in life that mean so much. Pure joy and acceptance replace our constant discontentment and yearning for more of this world’s goods. We put people first and detach from our attachment to worldly treasures.
Our love for God, our intimate union with Him, and our obedience to His precepts take priority over any other relationship. Then, out of our unity with God’s Trinity, we are more present with the significant others in our life, as well as our needs, and the needs of friends and strangers in our community.
Prayer:
Father God, thank You for giving us Your Spirit to sanctify our soul, and to make us one with You, just as You and Jesus are one (Romans 6:5-7; Galatians 2:20). We are so privileged to share in Your Kingdom as co-heirs with Jesus (Romans 8:17), and to inherit everything that You have prepared for us to receive both now and in eternity.
Help us to live exemplary lives, rather than hypocritical ones, that will be a witness of Your love and kindness to everyone around us. We do not want to hoard or amass inconsequential physical treasure, but instead to store up treasures in Heaven that last for eternity. You are our Savior and Lord, our Master and King, and we live to serve You now and always.
Thought for the Day:
As we walk through life, we experience victories or failings, success or regression, we follow a plan or wander aimlessly, we take giant steps or baby steps, we live consistently at times and erratically the next moment; therefore, it is beneficial for us to remain faithful to God’s principles each moment of our day as we share in His bounty and receive His constant blessings.
-Deuteronomy 28:2; Proverbs 16:20; Philippians 4:19-20
