An Unveiled Mirror

I want to be an unveiled mirror, reflecting God's glory to the world all around me (2 Corinthians 3:18). There are issues in my life that prevent this from happening - they come from my fleshly, carnal nature and shroud me in a veil.

My spirit is regenerated, but my soul is not completely sanctified yet. I still have issues that prevent God's glory from shining from within me. Fears, insecurities, feelings of being overwhelmed, discouragement and an intolerance for change all block Him from being foremost in my life.

I no longer obsess over the issues that cause these negative emotions, but some of them are still in my subconscious mind, blocking the glory of God from fully shining out from my spirit.

God reveals these issues to me one at a time throughout my years of spiritual growth in Him. Sometimes one issue will solve the problem with other issues, so that we cast a net over them all at one time.

For instance, fear of change is connected to the fear of destitution. I falsely believe that as long as I maintain the status quo, I will be safe. There are just too many variables in life to maintain any status quo for very long. Life happens - and when it does, it often brings change and adversity.

So, if I lay down at God's feet this idol of wanting to stay safe, He can fill me with His faith that believes that even in adversity, God is my constant companion and champion (Luke 24:13-35). He never leaves or abandons me (Hebrews 13:5).

This builds my faith in His faithfulness, so that I can view trials as adventures and seek God's purpose even in the midst of them. Maybe He has someone for me to witness to, or a lesson for me to learn, or some ulterior motive that He may never reveal to me.

The more time that I spend in God's presence, the more I allow Him to change my personality to His fruit, the less control I attempt to maintain over my life, then the quicker He is able to sanctify my soul and the more of His glory is revealed in me.

Prayer:

Father God, You love us with Your everlasting love and draw us close to You by Your loving kindness (Jeremiah 31:3). I ask Your Holy Spirit to control my every thought, word and deed for Your glory (Colossians 3:17). Grant us according to the riches of Your glory, to be strengthened with power through Your Spirit in our inner being, as Christ dwells in our heart through faith (Ephesians 3:16-17). 

Root and ground us in Your love, flood us through all of our being with all of Your fullness, oh God; so that we may have the richest measure of Your presence and become a body wholly filled with You (Ephesians 3:18-19, Amplified Bible).

Thought for the Day:

The Lord has searched us and intimately knows us, even when we sit down and when we will get up and walk around again; He understands our thoughts, even the ones we will think in the distant future; He knows every detail of our life and is acquainted with all of our ways. - Psalm 139:1-6 

Walking in the Spirit

God’s Spirit motivates us to live a liberated and active life, which is centered on spiritual matters. Yet, the sinful, self-centeredness that dominated our life prior to coming to Christ still interferes with our ability to walk in God’s Spirit. These contrary desires war within our soul – our thoughts, choices and feelings – and pull us in two opposing directions at the same time (Galatians 5:16-26; Romans 7).

There is no way to reconcile these two areas of thought and behavior, because the Spirit fuels the one and the flesh drives the other one. The good news is that once we are truly Born Again, God breathes His life into our spirit within us, which joins forces with our soul and influences our behavior. His constant presence within enables us to walk in the Spirit rather than in the flesh (Galatians 5:18). 

If we live by the flesh, we are motivated by the destructive behavior of impure thoughts; immoral pleasures; demonic practices; placing people, things and activities before God; hatred and bitterness, anger and jealousy, complaining and criticism, exclusivity and intolerance; worthless worship; alienation; ruthless rivalry; making enemies; addictions and frenzied grasping at illusive goals (Galatians 5:19).

Even authentic Christians can decline morally and fall back into compromised living. If we use our freedom in Christ for this type of behavior, it bars us from the gates of God’s Kingdom (Galatians 5:20). However, if we choose to live according to Godly principles and wisdom, He brings fruitful blessings into our life (1 John 3:9, 1:9). Holiness allows God’s spiritual fruit to permeate our life (Galatians 5:21-22).

Desiring to have our own way or to follow the crowd is no longer part of our thought process. Self-effort is useless; it only hinders our walk with God. Our human nature is crucified with Christ and our new spiritual conviction turns into submission and obedience to Him (Colossians 3:3-4). Our life flows from God’s will and requires little effort on our part (Galatians 5:23-24). We have God’s love, power and sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7).

Prayer:

Father God, we thank You for preparing our salvation before You ever created the world. You knew that our stubbornness and pride would prevent us from submitting to Your will before You ever created the first person. However, You also knew that some hearts would be humbled by life, and would eventually reach the point that we realize that we need You both now and for eternity. Thank You for crucifying the Lamb before time even began (Revelation 13:8).

Thought for the Day:

Our life in the Spirit is not an ethereal concept or a sentimental attitude but a reality, which infiltrates every area of our life. – Galatians 5:25-26