PLOWED

I am not the man I should be.

At some point in our lives, we are all confronted with that fact.  Well, if you're a woman, not exactly, but you get my point.

Almost always, our basic response to that is to pull up our bootstraps -- roll up our sleeves -- try a little harder -- turn over a new leaf -- etc etc etc.

You've probably found out
what I've found out about that approach.  Doesn't work.  Dead end.  Every time.  You cannot do this Jesus thing by putting enough elbow grease to it.

'If you don't live for Christ, you'll live for something else.'

The solution isn't to change our behavior, but to re-orient and center our entire hearts to Christ.  If I'm a grass field, all the cutting will keep the grass less, but it will never produce wheat.  If I want wheat, I must be plowed up and re-sown.

Does that scare you?  I know.

But remember this:  If you don't live for Christ, you'll live for something else.  That much is inevitable.

God says, "I don't want just this much of your time and this much of your money and this much of your attention and this much of your life so your natural self can have the rest.  I want all of you.  So hand over your desires - not just the ones you think wicked - but the ones you think innocent - the whole outfit."

And be blessed.