I am so frustrated, and I really just want to jump on a plane and come home to convenience, family, and familiarity. I know I typically write with a positive spin, but to be honest, I'm not feeling quite like Pollyanna today. I really need to find my phone, and I have tried everything I know to do. So now I just have to be patient and see if it turns up.
When I got back to the apartment, soaked like a wet dog, I opened my email to find this little devotional below. I really need it today, because I certainly am not operating with the mind of Christ at the moment. The part that really struck me (as you'll read for yourself below) had to do with feeling like we have the "strongest ground for taking up a certain attitude..." Oh man, I feel like I have every reason to be frustrated right now, but I know I am allowing my frustration to cloud my view. I'm thankful for God's constant ability to think clearly and perfectly.
We have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:16)
Our natural mind is a great obstacle in the race which we are running, cropping up all the time with its complexes, its arguments, its interests and its methods. When the Corinthians were brought into the Church they left behind their obvious sins, but they carried over into their new realm the old, natural ways of thinking and reasoning which belonged to the world and not to the Spirit of God. But the apostle remonstrated with them: "But we have the mind of Christ" (1 Corinthians 2:16), so urging them to allow the Cross to be planted between the natural mind and the spiritual. We shall only come to the fullness of Christ as we leave behind the mind of the natural man and move on more and more in the progress of the mind of Christ. On everything; every judgment, every conclusion, every analysis, every appraisal; we must ask the Lord: "Is that Your mind, Lord, or is it mine?" We may sometimes feel that we have the strongest ground for taking up a certain attitude or coming to a certain conclusion; we may feel that we have all the evidence and so are convinced; and yet we may be wrong.
The man who wrote the letter to the Corinthians knew from deep and bitter experience that this was the case. "I verily thought... that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth," he said (Acts 26:9). There was no man who had stronger convictions as to the rightness of his course than Saul of Tarsus. The great revolution which took place in him when he came to Christ was that he had to say: "I have been all wrong in my fundamental way of thinking." After that confession he made good headway in the race because he was always ready to subject his thinking to the jurisdiction of his crucified Lord. This is the way of spiritual progress. We shall not get very far while we hold to our own opinions and our own conclusions, even though we may have the support of others; we have to learn to conquer our natural mind by submission to the mind of Christ. This is most important if we are concerned about spiritual progress. And spiritual progress is th e increase of Christ – there is no other.
The man who wrote the letter to the Corinthians knew from deep and bitter experience that this was the case. "I verily thought... that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth," he said (Acts 26:9). There was no man who had stronger convictions as to the rightness of his course than Saul of Tarsus. The great revolution which took place in him when he came to Christ was that he had to say: "I have been all wrong in my fundamental way of thinking." After that confession he made good headway in the race because he was always ready to subject his thinking to the jurisdiction of his crucified Lord. This is the way of spiritual progress. We shall not get very far while we hold to our own opinions and our own conclusions, even though we may have the support of others; we have to learn to conquer our natural mind by submission to the mind of Christ. This is most important if we are concerned about spiritual progress. And spiritual progress is th e increase of Christ – there is no other.
By T. Austin-Sparks from: God's Purpose in All - Chapter 1
Just wanted to let you know that I read your blog often and it really blesses my heart to read your devotion to God and your family. And it is really comforting knowing that I am not the only one who struggles and faces temptations. (not saying that I am glad you struggle) You are strong no matter what and that is fact because you have the Holy One in you. Thank you for your honesty and staying true. I am praying for you and your family. God Bless!!
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