What's your nature?

Bonjour friends and fans!

This morning's devotion comes from Galatians 5:16-26. It's been a long while since I've sit to write a devotions blog during the week. I've really gone to the other end of the spectrum in terms of where I was with my morning routine. I barely wake up early enough to get myself together and get to class. Pretty problematic, but this week is the week things change, in Jesus' name. I claim it.

The scripture outlines what it means to "live in the Spirit". It's not fully clear to me, but what I can say it that there are always two forces in us: the Spirit and our human nature. Human nature is the part of us that usually leads us to doing bad unhealthy things. In my case it is: staying up watching Youtube videos, eating 2 pints of ice cream, putting sleep over time with my Creator, dressing in ways to get attention from people, the list goes on. The Bible gives its own list: "sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery, idolatry and witchcraft;  hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies and the like." Extensive enough?

The Bible refers to this nature as the sinful nature meaning that as humans we are innately sinful. That's just the way we are, but that isn't where the story ends.

If we choose to accept that there is a part of us that never seems to get things right, then how in the world do we do right things? There's another part to us that desires to do good--for some people they've chosen to live this life style specifically by living according to the Spirit. What a vague term! Living according to the Spirit means that the things we do are not done because we need to fulfill the law and get approval from anyone, but instead it is the freedom to express love without fear and to restore the areas of our world that have been broken. That's what the Spirit has started meaning to me.

So what that leaves us with is two choices: Spirit vs. human. We always have these two choices, whether we recognize it or not. There are times when one is clearer than the other and there are times when both seem legit, but at the end of the day, we always have to choose which we will live by. Every action we take comes down to these two natures. What nature do you choose? One will lead to life and joy, the other will lead to death and failure.

I have to start deeply evaluating my actions and realize that to live according to the Spirit is so much better for me. I can't make these really important choices on my own at times, so I'm accepting the help that God gives at no cost.

Until later,

Ife 'Quipayan' S.

P.S. It's almost the one month mark of school this final semester and Valentine's day is on Tuesday. What are you doing?!