Some Thoughts From This Week.

It's far too easy to find someone your superior to and base your evaluation of yourself on that comparison. We want to feel good, indeed we were created to feel good, so we'll cut whatever corners we have to in order to feel the way we were created to feel. Unfortuanetly it's also very easy to forget that we are more than feelings. Feelings are big and loud and up in our faces so they are difficult to ignore. Often they are so dominating we forget we have a spirit and a mind more than capable of putting one's feelings back into their proper place. Like the school bully who is so scary that we forget there are teachers and parents who can defend us from a bully. 

Balance is a good word, it's applicable here as it is necessary to find. Balance between the mind, heart and spirit. Or as The Great Commandment decrees, "you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart (which is the body or appatite), all your soul (which is the spirit), and all your mind, (which is the reason)" Matthew 22:37 We do not deny one for th sake of the other but in the purification of any part of the human person the rest will be bettered as a result. One can not have a sanctified mind without having a sanctified soul or flesh, they will grow in holiness together. If we seek to control our flesh we'll find ourselves discipling our reason and increasing it's power level as well. 

The intentional development of this harmony between the three parts of the person can be done in innumerable ways. The key component is simply the will to harmonize the components of the person. One of the most fundamental truths of God and our relation to Him is that He will guide the human who seeks life the way it was meant to be lived. I'm increasingly more hesitant to recommend books or methods of conquering, than harmonizing self because it seems like have the benefit of this process comes from figuring it out yourself. 

Now it is not wise to forsake the wisdom of our predeccesors. The reality that prayer has been a major component of nearly every significant follower of God would indicate that one who wants to follow God should pray, and pray often. We, more so than any other generation have access to more information on getting to know God than any other group of people in all of history. It would be only sensible to mine that information and apply to our own life what is profitable. 

Ultimatly a God exists and He is not silent, He is not hidden and He is not unwilling to help us, if we'll let Him. What's important is starting the search. Crack open the dusty volumes of religion, philosophy and history which has always been of interest but never enthralling enough to trump tv. Seriously, just read trying to learn something. It doesnt have to be big or old or complicated. Wisdom begins with being sensible and studying something you'll understand. 

A quote by A.W. Tozer to end with, "we'll hardly get our feet out of time into eternity and gaze on eternity that we bow our heads in shame and humiliation and say, 'look at all the riches there are in Christ and I,ve come to the Judgement seat nearly a pauper.'" Everyone has access to the riches in godliness, the joy in generousity, the peace in humility, the Hector like heroisim in courage, the logic in truth and the glory in wisdom. Lets not leave these treasures for the sake of the confusion in ignorance, the depression in laziness, the frustration in cowardice and the greed in self pity.