Led

DEVOTION
GALATIONS
LED
Gal 5:16-18
16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.
NIV
That certainly sounds easy enough. So then if I gratify just one desire of the sinful nature does that mean I am not living by the Spirit? If I am selfish just once in awhile does that mean I am not living by the Spirit? How can this be? If the Spirit and my sinful nature are in conflict with each other, there is no doubt a war wages on within me. How do I justify my actions and responses, my behavior when it is conflict with the Spirit? I cannot. The Spirit desires I live in one way and my sinful nature desires I live another way. I think the key here is I do desire to live by the Spirit rather than by my sinful nature. I used to simply not even be aware there was a Spirit and thus lived to the fullest by my sinful nature. But since I became aware of God and experienced him in my life and accepted Christ as my Savior and received the gift of the Spirit who dwells within and leads me in paths of righteousness I no longer live to the fullest of my sinful nature. Now do I still sin? I have to yes to that, I cannot lie to God or to my own self. I cannot deceive myself into believing I have become a perfect man because I desire to be led by the Spirit rather than by my sinful nature. So then I have to accept the portion of scripture which states I do not do what I want to do. I do not live a perfect life. I cannot live a perfect life. I want to but it simply is not going to happen. I make too many mistakes, too many incorrect choices, too many wrong responses, too many erroneous acts of behavior to be perfect. But it that because I desire to do and be like that? If I truly desired not to how can I still? I am human and I even though I should not make that my excuse; I simply have to accept I am not divine. But because I do desire to be led by the Spirit and I do desire to live by the Spirit, the path I decided to follow was the one laid out by the Spirit, not by my own sinful nature, I am not condemned by the law. Even when I fail to live according to the Spirit, because of Christ I am not condemned by the law. I surely should not take advantage of that, and I do not think I do, willingly seeking to gratify the desires of my sinful nature. But when I do, I still and not under the law, because I am led by the Spirit. It is sort of confusing, but that could be the plans of the Devil to try to make it that way so I will feel the guilt and shame and lose heart in my desires to follow the Spirit. The devil wants nothing more than for me to follow my own sinful nature. I refuse, I will be lead by the Spirit.