"Every time you make a choice you are turning the central part of you, the part of you that chooses, into something a little different from what it was before...either into a creature that is in harmony with God,...or into one that is in a state of war with God. Each of us at each moment is progressing to the one state or the other." ~ C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
Ahh, did C.S. Lewis ever write anything that wasn't just totally deep? Every time I read something from him, no matter how many times I've read it before, I'm always amazed at the insight and wisdom God gave this man. What a quote Christine picked this week! It reminds me of something my dad told me just in the past few weeks: "You are the sum total of the decisions you make on a daily basis". It is just so true. Even the smallest seemingly insignificant things I do from day to day are, in fact not only actions from my soul, but they act upon my soul as well; taking me either closer to or further from my goal (intimacy with God). It's really a sobering thought.
I'm also reminded of something else my dad said to me, though this was many years ago. He said that everything you see or do feeds you, either nourishing your carnal flesh or your spirit. Whomever you feed the most is the one that will be in control.
For a while now I've been thinking that I'm not really moving forward or backward - I'm just being still, being stagnant. But now I wonder (realize, really) that isn't true at all. I don't think I've ultimately progressed or regressed, but what I have done is taken a step forward and a couple back. Four forward and two back. Two forward and three back. So even though it may seem to me like I haven't moved at all, I've really been doing the cha-cha the whole time (you know me, I've never been a good dancer). *wink*
I need to start making sure I feed my spirit more, much more, than my carnal flesh. This keeps running through my head: "... or into one that is in a state of war with God." A state of war with God! If that doesn't put the fear of God into you, I don't know what will.
Please stop by and visit this week's host, Christine at Fruit in Season, to read her thoughts and visit other IOW participants. :o)
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13 comments:
Bless you for sharing your thoughts, enjoyed them.
I love the image of you doing the cha-cha! I'm right there with you!
Great post--thanks for sharing!
Blessings~
Great thoughts. The sum total of our decisions. Succinct, but so enlightening. Thank your dad and thank you for sharing!
I love what your dad said (very wise man): "You are the sum total of the decisions you make on a daily basis"
It is so true that we sometimes just dance in a square and not stepping forward. I think that I am just afraid to step out boldly.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful thoughts with us this week.
Blessings to you and yours.
thanks for sharing your thoughts...Blessings
Crystal,
Your thoughts on this week's quote were so insightful! I love what you said about our choices acting upon our souls and about how we feed our spirits. Your words were so profound!
Jennifer
I've been doing the spiritual cha-cha for awhile lately, myself. I loved this analogy!
I love how you said things we do "act upon" our souls. Great words this week! Thanks!
Ah, the spiritual cha-cha. I know that one well. But I've found when I dance with Him and He is leading, even the backward steps have meaning for my spiritual growth.
Bonnie W
you've got me giggling, how true about the dance! Great post! I loved it!
"everything you see or do feeds you, either nourishing your carnal flesh or your spirit. Whomever you feed the most is the one that will be in control." I absolutely love that. Your dad is a wise man. I will put that phrase to memory!
I like your dad's quote too! What an insightful thing to say.
Thank you for the kind words Crystal. I think that is one of those seeds that we worked so hard to plant in your life that is springing up and bearing fruit. Keep nurturing it.
The Word tells us that if we walk in the Spirit we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. I struggled for a long time trying to understand, in a concrete, day to day, real life practical way what it means to walk in the Spirit. What the Lord showed me fits right in with the quote that you are are having a conversation about. To walk in the Spirit is this... moment by moment, minute by minute, day by day, choice by choice, making a decision to do what you know is right, to decide to follow the Word of God, submit to the will of God, and walk in the ways of God. If we will make those little (and sometimes not so little) choices on a moment by moment basis, we will be walking in the Spirit and we will not be fulfilling the lusts of the flesh. Or, to frame it like CS Lewis did, we will be becoming a creature that is in harmony with God,...not one that is in a state of war with God.
Thanks for letting me be a part of this conversation.
Crystal's Dad
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