Goodbye flesh.

As I walk this journey of becoming like my Daddy, and going deeper and deeper into the things of God, I am made aware of areas I fall short.  And my natural tendency has been to try to fix them on my own.  If I can only work a little bit harder to forgive again, to have self control, to be unselfish, then....
Then what? I'll be perfect? God will be more pleased?  I never found out, because I was just never very good at fixing myself on my own strength.

Then comes Jesus with a crazy revelation (crazy for me at least; maybe everyone else already got this).  I used to think that living by the flesh simply met sinning in the flesh-- partying, extramarital sex, drunkenness, etc.  Ah good, I'm not doing any of those things so I'm living in the Spirit.  And then Jesus sweetly wrecks that and says 'Actually, every time you try to overcome a sin or weakness in your own strength, you are operating out of your flesh.  Every time you require more of yourself (or others) than what I'm requiring, you are living in the flesh.  Every time you strive instead of rest.'  Ouch.

"...Those who live according to the Spirit have their outlook shaped by the things of the Spirit.  For the outlook of the flesh is death, but the outlook of the Spirit is life and peace." Romans 8:5-6

Then the good news.
I waste my time when I pray and mourn asking God to just give me the strength to overcome...  Because He has all power and authority to overcome whatever I'm wrestling with and He's in me!  So my prayers have changed.  "Holy Spirit, You are in me (I say just to remind Him) and You are perfect self control.  So You be self control right now in this situation."  (Or love, or peace, or forgiveness- whatever I need in that moment.)

And the beautiful thing is that as I start claiming Him and His power to overcome my weaknesses, He really does it!  All I do is acknowledge that I can't do it on my own, but He can, and boom-shaka-laka!
Sometimes it's hard.  My flesh would love to believe that I can handle this on my own.  Sometimes it's a long process of me continually going to Him and asking Him to be what I need.  But He's always right there.  And He really doesn't care if I call on Him to be my self control 6 times a day.  In fact, He really loves it.  Because I'm not a bother and He just really likes hanging out with me.

Siem Reap, Cambodia; 2012