THE Book

"Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.  Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other."
Galatians 5:24-26

I'm always inspired and challenged by THIS book (The Holy Bible), but as I read this I was perplexed.  I know I belong to Christ Jesus!  I know this book is true!  So why do I feel that I still struggle with some "passions & desires?"
 I'm not talking about having lusty thoughts about some good looking movie star (couldn't even tell you the name of one off the top of my head), or desiring a million dollars or something terrible.  I'm talking about desiring that others would think highly of me (instead of desiring that they think highly of Christ); of desiring to make others happy (instead of praying they would find their joy in Jesus); of desiring to be comfortable (instead of desiring to be uncomfortable enough that I rely totally on God); of having a passion for chocolate (instead of having a passion for the gospel, enough that I am willing to make a fool of myself to share that gospel with someone who may never have heard it and needs to know Christ!)

It would be easy to "feel" overwhelmed and like a complete failure in these things if I think, "if I already crucified these, why are they coming back up?"  But the good news is that I have put to death the reigning power of the old sinful life!  Yes, I sometimes let those things back into my life... temporarily.  But I now have the freedom to experience the power of the resurrection life of Christ by faith.  Christ has taken up residence in my life by the Holy Spirit without submerging my own personality.  So when I admire someone else for something about which I feel inadequate, I need to be happy for them... not be discouraged because I don't have that gift!  And I need to tell them that I admire that in them.  That's a privilege, to encourage others.

I'll continue reading THE Book until I go to heaven because there is always something to chew on, learn, remember, be comforted by, and humbled by in this book.