Romans 8:5-7

I'm out of shape. A year of injuries and issues have driven me from the gym, and into a less active lifestyle, and has shown itself in weight gain and lack of muscle strength. And I'm not happy about it. While my injuries are healing (left knee and right shoulder - both separate and unrelated), I've had to make decisions to either find alternative workouts or or don't do anything. Most of the time I've opted to not do anything.

I should be fair to myself and note that in that year long period I was taking college algebra courses and working full time. But, still, decisions I made.... where were my thoughts?

Romans 8:5-7 talks about this very thing:

For those who follow the flesh have their interests in the flesh, and those who follow the Spirit have their interests in the Spirit. The interests of the flesh mean death, the interest of the Spirit mean life and peace.

For the interests of the flesh are hostile to God; they do not yield to God (ineed they cannot).

Habitually dominated by the flesh or the Spirit (Wuest).

Which way am I today? Dominated by the flesh or by the Spirit. If dominated by the flesh - meaning, following my own natural inclinations, whatever my mind thinks of I do, etc. If I am dominated by the Spirit, then I don't follow my mind, I seek Him out, I ask him "what do you think about this? - yes? no?" Then I wait for his answer. I don't just think and do... I think, seek, ask, and then follow His instruction - not my own inclination.

Do I always do this? Of course not. But how do I get better at this?

I think it's a lot like physical exercise. Physical exercise trains our bodies, strengthens our muscles, it can even consume our thoughts and dictate our lifestyle. When I had been working out for sometime, I was careful about what I ate, I arranged my life around time at the gym, and made sure I got enough sleep. I read fitness magazines, nutrition labels, and websites about fitness. I watched YouTube videos on new exercise moves, downloaded podcasts to listen to while exercising or running.

When I think about how to get myself habitually dominated by the Holy Spirit, I realize that it's a lot like starting out on a new lifestyle. Things have to change - schedules have to be rearranged. What I read about, listen to, and think about has to be about the Spirit and His desires, not about what I think is good.

Don't get me wrong - exercise is very good for the body. But it's still "of the flesh." Without the Spirit, there is still going to be death even though it seems good. Yes, even good things can be "of the flesh" - that's why it's so important to yield in everything to what the Holy Spirit wants.

I leave you with this quote in the note section for Romans 8:5 of the Recovery Bible: "As we exercise ourselves to mind these things, eventually our whole being will be according to the Spirit."

That's a goal worth rearranging my life for - to be consumed....

So, expect to see more here in this blog - it's my journey to become spiritually fit, dominated in my mind and all that I do by the Spirit.