“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
“The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” Galatians 5:13-25
The freedom of the Christian life develops in a vital mix of buts and busy. Knowing Christ opens many a contrast of old and new, wrong and right, waste and fruitfulness. Our freedom from sin’s slavery opens us to a new freedom to serve with abandon while dealing with the same pesky temptations. With His indwelling Spirit, though, we’re also free to serve His ways over the desires of the flesh. Walking in the Spirit is a gradual and growing process of putting away works of flesh by exercising works of faith. We’re free to choose the better but of every contrast, and so please Him and build up our spiritual siblings.
It is challenging in life’s busyness to make sure we are on the right side of the contrasts presented in Scripture. As full as our days are, priorities must be set and kept at the start. We must be careful to put off and put on accordingly. Casual attitudes and sloth make room for sliding into sin practices. Failure to maintain accountability to others is a formula for justifying rebellion. Unless we replace bad habits with good ones, we will find ourselves fruitless and ineffective. (Galatians 6:1-3,6-8; Colossians 3:1-17; 2 Peter 1:5-8)
How are we exercising our freedom in Christ? What are we doing constructively with the time God allots us? Every moment offers the choice to serve self or the Sovereign. Will we walk in the Spirit according to God’s word and will?
How devoted are we to doing good to others by bearing the fruit of the Spirit eagerly, with generosity? Have we grown weary and therefore lax in service, in carefulness, in honoring the Lord? Need we adjust our busy? What specifically need we put off or away in order to keep in step with the Spirit and make the most of every opportunity? (Psalm 90:12,17; Galatians 6:9-10)
Lord, keep me carefully and always in step with Your Spirit, for Your blessing and praise.
As the rain and snow 