Lately God has really been challenging me with a new lesson, one I don’t think I would have encountered if I continued to stay in Minnesota. What my flesh wants vs. what my soul needs. I wouldn’t say I’m extremely materialistic compared to some but who am I comparing myself to? If I compared myself to the people here I’m exactly what they expect and for the most part I have what I want to have. In this lesson God is teaching me, I’ve decided to make a list of realizations and it seemed practical to share them with all of you.
What my flesh desires doesn’t matter in comparison to what my soul desires:
• My flesh says I need to have a lot of nice clothes but I’ve realized I can go a month wearing the same thing day by day and I still have more than the children here who have one shirt and one pair of pants. Instead, I need to clothe myself with the qualities of Jesus and the full armor of God.
10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6: 10-17
12Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:12-17
• My flesh tells me to get ready before I leave the house and feel cute but I should spend less time looking in a mirror and examining my physical appearance. The past month we’ve had one tiny mirror hanging in our room for all nine of us to share; it’s rare that any of us look in it more than once a day. It’s also rare for me to see a mirror when we’re in the barrio homes which proves to me looking good on the outside is such an obsession that holds us back from examining our hearts. The people here are beautiful and they don’t have to have mass amounts of cosmetics, hair products or anything to possess that beauty.
3Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. 4Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. 5For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves. They submitted themselves to their own husbands, 6like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.1 Peter 3:3-6
7But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7
• My flesh desires to be noticed for the things I’m good at but in the end, the approval of people will never be as satisfying as God saying “Well done good and faithful servant.” I know I have God given talents and instead of looking for reassurance from others I need to listen to God saying: “You’re my daughter, created in my image. I created you and it was good.”
27So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27
• My flesh feels the need to adjust the plan God has for me into a plan I have for myself. Instead of adjusting His plan, I need to be obedient to what He is calling me to do even if that means living paycheck to paycheck, sacrificing what I want for what others needs, leaving behind everything to serve. I can’t continue to live a life that only allows me to trust God with something’s when he asks me to trust Him with everything.
5Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
6in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6
• My flesh wants to quench it’s physical desires in the moment it feels something but I know the importance of keeping my body pure because it’s God’s temple.
19Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20you were bought at a price.
Therefore honor God with your bodies. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
• It doesn’t stop there because God is also referring to me remaining sexually pure. He didn’t call me to have sex with whomever I want whenever I want- My body is not only my own.
4The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. 1 Corinthians 7:4
• My flesh desires to have an earthly husband to love me but my soul knows that God first loved me. I didn’t have to do anything to earn His love so I need to be patient and understand His selfless love before I try to love another. I can continue to try and give love my own earthly definitions but my soul knows what God created love to be and He created love to actually mean something.
1If I speak in the tongues[a]of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b]but do not have love, I gain nothing.
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13
I realize this is a lot of scripture and a lot to read but I’m really thankful you did. Now I challenge you to ask yourself every time you want something- Is this for my flesh or for my soul? Do I need this or do I simply want it? I’m praying as God continues to challenge me in Nicaragua He’s also challenging you back home.
