Self-pleasing vs self-giving
The battle of flesh vs spirit; an age old battle. “For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other so that you are not to do whatever you want” (Galatians 5:17). This battle, the greatest of all battles, remains unseen to our natural eyes; the war within. Pleasure versus giving, who wins?
We live in a “if it feels good, do it” world not a “give of yourself” world. Self-pleasing operates out of selfish desires, while self-giving operates out of love. One keeps for oneself, the other gives of itself. I know which one I want to do but as Paul tells us in Romans 7:15, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” Man, I wish I could unlock that. I get it – “spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” I Battle. Just the other day, trying to be funny, the flesh won. I made a hurtful comment to a stranger at the grocery store. My intention was not to be hurtful at all. I was trying to be funny, but it wasn’t. I didn’t realize it at the time, but God showed me the next morning the effects of my flesh, the effect of self-pleasing or jokes at someone else’s expense.
I battle. Maybe it’s because I’m near-sighted, I can only see what’s in front of me, the here and now. Maybe my focus is too much on the temporal and not the eternal. Maybe I’m suppose to practice more self-denial in order to put to the flesh to death. Maybe I just like what I like and simply, I don’t want to give it up. Maybe I’m just selfish. Maybe I’m looking for attention. It’s all of the above and more and I’m just plain sinful. Shouldn’t I know better? Shouldn’t I want to conquer these things of the flesh for the sake of building the Kingdom? I didn’t build up the Kingdom this week with my encounter at the grocery store, I tore it down. “Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires, but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires” (Romans 8:5).
What does the Spirit desire? It desires freedom for us, freedom from sin. It desires relationship with the Father, with Jesus and with the Holy Spirit. It desires our heart, our mind, and our love. It requires self-giving. It may require turning away from a certain way of life, like seeking attention. Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin” (John 8:11). It may require a greater level of commitment and dedication to follow Jesus. “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). I walked in the darkness of insensitivity this week. It may require allowing more of the Lord’s teachings to be etched in our heart. Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31). And that means all of his teachings, not the ones that I like or the ones that are easy- making a trip back to the grocery store, hoping to find this employee to ask forgiveness, ain’t what I like.
True freedom comes from giving all of ourselves to the Lord. As St. Francis of Assisi said, “it is in giving that we receive.” Jesus gave us that example of self-giving throughout His life and through His death. Jesus gave so we might receive. He certainly battled in His life, just like we do, but didn’t succumb to it.
Lord, I battle and I am weak. I am sinful and chose self-pleasing. Please give me the strength to chose self-giving. Help me to be aware of when the flesh is winning and give me the grace to give of myself out of love for you.
