T W O -- S P I R I T S -- I N -- S T R U G G L E

This post is partly a reaction to watching "Your Move" with Andy Stanley this morning, along with my own thoughts & meditation.

** Romans 7:15 what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. ** this is like a capsulation of all of our lives-- at least, it's ONE side of it. we have inspiration and motivation, and we do certain good things, and accomplish things in life, but on a daily basis, we struggle with what to do and what not to do. Each & every one of us -- with no exceptions.

It seems to me that the deciding difference is the influence of the Spirit of God. and this is not some kind of flaky, mamby--pamby kind of a "spirit in the sky", a type of mystical dream. It in fact --IS-- very mystical, but from our perspective, it can be very real.

Two Spirits in Struggle

Galatians 5:22, 23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. The president and the congress are busy working to pass resolutions about protecting property from rioters and looters. Some feel that they have every right to be angry and to set fire to buildings and tear down statues. Maybe the first part is correct-- anger is perhaps understandable.

But I know if a person has received the Love of God into their hearts, they began a lifetime of growing in grace, and slowly being molded into a better version of themselves, with God at the very center of their Being. And the result of this process, the "fruit"-- another version says "harvest"-- is Love, Joy, Peace, and all of those marvellous things. Isn't it amazing?

And it goes on to say, "Against such things there is no law." I've seen signs that say, "No Trespassing" and "Speed Limit 50" but you will NEVER see a sign-- at least not a law-- that says "DO NOT LOVE"-- and yet...

We all have a real life struggle in being able to act and feel in a loving manner. Sometimes it's more natural to hate one another. But it's supernatural when we are able to truly love one another.

1st JOHN 4: 7,8,10,19-- Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love... This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins... We love because he first loved us.