"It's the wrestling that brings us strength." C. Roberts

That's a line that I gleaned from an email today. It claimed me. Let's look at that - wrestling is all about conflict, confrontation, clash, strength and force, strategy and forward thought and most of all, a motivation towards victory.

I don't come by any of that naturally - what I've got is evasion (of problems and people) a tendency towards aggression rather than healthy conflict, emotional strife, bossiness and a need to control and a need to be right.

I guess that's the distinction between a Holy Spirit led life and the dominion of the flesh.

"Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. "

Y'know, I don't think I live according to the sinful nature, I just think that it finds its way in every now and again. I want to have my mind set on what the Spirit desires (that whole motivation for victory).

"The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace;"

The thing is, I don't have peace of mind at the moment - it has been elusive for quite some time. Where I have misstepped? The Word says that if my mind were controlled by Holy Spirit, then it would contain (and overflow with) life and peace. I don't visualize this as some kind of ethereal utopian state of mind that only the lofty and religious can reach, but more like an eternal comfy couch (ok, bear with me, I'm not suggesting that my God in His entirety is merely a big hug, but it IS one of His attributes) where I can choose to sit and take a load off regardless of my circumstances or trials.

So- there you have it. I guess it's what I'm famous for, a long ramble with some Scripture thrown in, but it feels good to have it on the outside rather than jammed within.

grace,
a mere beggar who has found bread

Romans 8:5-6