You were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only don’t let this freedom be an opportunity to indulge your selfish impulses, but serve each other through love. All the Law has been fulfilled in a single statement: Love your neighbor as yourself, But if you bite and devour each other, be careful that you don’t get eaten up by each other!
Two different ways of living
I say be guided by the Spirit and you won’t carry out your selfish desires. A person’s selfish desires are set against the Spirit, and the Spirit is set against one’s selfish desires. They are opposed to each other, so you shouldn’t do whatever you want to do. But if you are being led by the Spirit, you aren’t under the Law. The actions that are produced by selfish motives are obvious, since they include sexual immorality, moral corruption, doing whatever feels good, idolatry, drug use and casting spells, hate, fighting, obsession, losing your temper, competitive opposition, conflict, selfishness, group rivalry, ~Galatians 5:13-20 (CEB)
“Unfortunately, our error is ‘to want to do it our way,’ ‘to feel ourselves to be somebody,’ ‘to trust in our own plans,’ ‘not to give due weight to the Father’s plan.’ It is frightening, my sister, the extent to which hidden pride burns the soul and dries up everything. And pride is all the greater in spiritual people: in us. I can understand why Jesus took a bitter line when dealing with us (the professionally religious): sinners and prostitutes will take their place ahead of us.
It’s because we don’t want to be little! On the excuse that the religious life is a great, very great thing, we no longer dream of becoming nothing, nothing, nothing.” ~From Letters to Dolcidia: 1954-1983 by Carlo Carretto
Lord, help me this day to not stray from Your path. Help me to not seek my own desires or follow my own pride. Help me to be led by Your Spirit and not by selfish desires this day. Amen.
Pieces of the Puzzle 