Hello Jill
God bless you this day.
Yea, those emotions can be tricky, huh? God has given you a very loving heart and that is a good thing. But what happens sometimes is that our flesh wants to get into the picture. It's hard not to get attached to people, then want more from them than they are capable or maybe even interested in giving in return. And if they are insensitive to our feelings and just use us to get what they want and then more or less say "hit the road, Jack" it can hurt like the dickens.
Jill, it is very important to stay in God's Word, daily. We need to renew the spirit of our mind each and every day, and sometimes multiple times a day. You know how your computer settings are set to a default, and it automatically goes to those settings, until you choose to change them and save them -- well we are like that too. We default to our flesh man. We have to choose to hit the reset button every day and connect to The Holy Spirit and walk in our spirit man. We are going through the sanctification process -- but because we lived out life for so long in the natural/carnal/flesh man, we just automatically revert back. But, as The Holy Spirit works in us and through us -- which takes times -- He is changing us to be more like Jesus and to become the person God intended us to be.
It doesn't happen overnight, because we are being refined by the Refiner's Fire. He wants us to learn patience in the process. There is so much to it -- I can't adequately explain it -- but it is for our good that He takes His time refining us. But, woooooohoooooo the Refining process is a good God thing. We have the blessed Holy Spirit right here with us, all we have to do is to keep talking to Him and following His lead. Ask Him to help you, and keep on asking and believing. He loves you. He wants you to overcome.
Philippians 2:12-13
(12) Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
(13) For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.
Paul says that we are to fear God -- have awesome reverence for God. When we keep focusing on Him and desire to please Him more than to give in to our flesh concerns, He steps in and gives us the power to overcome. But it is a process. We are working out our salvation -- again, the Refiner's fire, right here, right now. Is there anything more important than our salvation? No, there isn't. I feel confident you agree. But just like our flesh needs food/energy to keep going, our spirit man needs Holy Spirit energy/power to keep going. Fuel up, Jilly. Dine on His blessed Word and seek Him with your whole heart each day, throughout the day.
You know how at McDonald's or a fast food place you look up and choose off a menu. Well, we have a smorghasbord of selection for fruit. We can choose the fruit (works of the flesh) available to the flesh/carnal man, or we can choose fruit from spirit man which is available to us by The Holy Spirit.
Galatians 5:19-26 NIV
(19) The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;
(20) idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions
(21) 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.
(22) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
(23) gentleness and
self-control. Against such things there is no law.
(24) Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.
(25) Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
(26) Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
I highlighted "self-control" up there because of what you wrote in your post. See, The Holy Spirit has that fruit for you, you just need to keep connecting to Him and receive the fruit. If you find yourself being tempted, stop and talk to The Holy Spirit and ask Him to help you. He is there to help you. Ask Him to remind you to do so too. He loves you.
I'm praying for you, Jill. I know it may feel a little awkward for a while -- I say this because it was for me too -- but, just keep believing to receive. He won't let you down.
God bless you, Jill.
Love,
Mack
Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 3:38 pm