Sometimes I feel really overloaded, overwhelmed even, with a bunch of issues that desperately need fixing. Well, addressing anyway. And my first instinct, which is what I acted upon for years – usually very quickly – was to jump in and try to fix everything. And everyone mind you.
Even as I write this, I have various issues that need to be taken care of. Even more challenging is they have to do with people not doing their job, not doing their job well, not being helpful, being mean even, and irresponsible, and some of them not helping not surprisingly given the state of this world right now. Perfect opportunity to do my usual jumping in with my little fix-everything-now toolkit.
Trouble is my toolkit is self-centered and sin-filled. In other words, I am prone to putting my trust in myself, operating in my own “strength” i.e. weakness, apart from God. Not that I want to operate apart from God. Just that old habits – and sins – die hard. This is where the Holy Spirit steps in. Reminding me, and my now encouraging you, to consider this.
Instead of running in our flesh apart from God to fix the issues in our lives, we need to run to God, pray, seek Him, go to the Bible, wait on the Lord, spend time in His presence, hear Him, obey Him, and give Him the glory for how He in His love, mercy, grace, and sovereignty desires for us by the power of His Holy Spirit to address the issues in our lives.
Let us humble ourselves, let us purify ourselves, let us purge from ourselves any and all sin, turning to God and receiving His forgiveness, crying out to Him for help and wisdom, and for all else we need. And let us trust the Holy Spirit who lives inside His followers to lead, guide, and provide for us as we address the issues at hand in the power of the Holy Spirit according to God’s will.
“Thus says the LORD: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the LORD. For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, And shall not see when good comes, But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, In a salt land which is not inhabited. “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.” Jeremiah 17:5-8 NKJV
“God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.” Psalms 46:1 NKJV
“Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.”” Psalms 50:15 NKJV
“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” Galatians 5:16 NKJV
“If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” Galatians 5:25 NKJV