Stop looking in the mirror! It doesn’t work!

I’m sorry if that sounds offensive! I don’t mean to be rude.

I wonder how many years of our life we have spent devoted to ourselves. Preening in front of the mirror, weighing ourselves, exercising because our clothes have shrunk. Or what about our thought-life? Mulling over the offence given to us, struggling to hold back our frustration at what we should have said or planning on what we will say given half the chance. Our life has consisted of either beating ourselves up or boasting so that others can see us in a different light. Perhaps attention to ‘ME’ has not helped me at all?

Paul has come a long way from being the “wretched man I am!” (7 v 24) to now living and walking in the power of the Spirit (8 v 1-4). Here is how he does it:

“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. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8 v 5-8)

Every day is an opportunity to take our eyes off ourselves and to train our thoughts to think on the Spirit.

That’s the decision we have to make every day. We either try in our strength or we live in the Spirit’s power.

We have that choice.

Our minds set on … (our minds) governed by … the Spirit are therefore not in the ‘realm of the flesh’ but in the sphere, rule, influence and authority of the Spirit and therefore can and do please God because we learn to focus our entire lives around what the Spirit desires.

What does the Spirit think about me?

Is He comfortable living with me?

Is He in charge or do I use Him?

How much time do I spend thinking about the Spirit in me?

I’m not saying don’t look into the mirror, that could be disastrous for people like me. But let us decide today to think more on the Spirit and less on ourselves.