Walking (and Waking) in the Spirit
By Deidre Braley
Bible Reading
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. – Galatians 5:16-17
In the middle of the book of Romans, we find Paul making the world’s most relatable confession: “For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing” (7:18-19).
Poor guy. If I didn’t know better, I’d think he was a parent, crying after bedtime and wishing he hadn’t lost his temper again. That’s always my shortcoming, at least. Maybe you have your own—that sin that keeps creeping into your days, hard as you try to kick it. Often referred to as a besetting sin, it’s the specific kind of brokenness that you’re especially prone to falling into—the kind that, as Hebrews 12 puts it, “clings so closely” (v.1).
When the Holy Spirit comes to reside within us, we are thrown into a rather peculiar state: Our spirits desire the Kingdom of God, but our flesh desires the stuff of this world. And it’s as though the Spirit and the flesh are each holding onto one end of the same rope and then walking in opposite directions. The two want different things—and we are caught in the center of that tension.
Is it any wonder that James gives such an ardent warning when he says, “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?” (4:4). We’re in the middle of a fleshly-spiritual battle. On any given day, the desires of the flesh could give a good hard tug on the rope and we’d go tumbling, once again, into the same brokenness Jesus came to free us from.
Intersecting Faith & Life:
If there’s one thing I’ve discovered about this battle, it’s that my daily chances of walking with the Spirit are much better when I wake with the Spirit.
On the mornings when I oversleep, our children barge into the bedroom and bombard me with requests, complaints, and noise. When I get out of bed, I am my full-flesh self: under-caffeinated, combative, and short-fused. It’s not pretty. And unless I am able to reset and spend some intentional time with the Lord, my day progresses in that fashion. I give in to the desires of my flesh—and end the day feeling an awful lot like what Paul is talking about.
On my better mornings—the ones where I set my alarm and rise before everyone else—I brew a pot of coffee and tiptoe onto the back porch. I wrap up in a king-sized blanket and listen to the birds and to the crickets and to God. I feel a supernatural peace settle below my sternum, as though I have stepped into the Spirit and the Spirit has stepped into me. And when the kids wake, I am able to sing and laugh and smile. As the day goes on, I am drawn back, over and over again, into the conversation with God that began before the day did. The difference is immense.
See, there is power in starting the day with God, inviting the the Spirit into every moment ahead of us. When we do this, we join the side of the Spirit in the tug of war that’s happening over our souls. We set ourselves up to walk by the Spirit for the day, rather than the flesh. James puts it this way: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you” (James 4:7-8).
If you aren’t usually a morning person, consider exploring the act of waking with the Spirit for one week. It might take a few days to get into the habit, so be patient. While Christian culture might portray a certain set of circumstances/materials as “essentials” for time with God (cue the coffee, candles, journal, and fancy pen), the truth is that the only thing that’s essential for time with God is a willingness to listen and be in his presence. So just allow yourself to go into this practice of “waking with the Spirit” with an openness toward experiencing him—perfectly curated environment, optional.
At the end of the week, reflect on any changes you’ve noticed in your:
- Perspective
- Intimacy with God
- Mood
- Mental health
- Overall sense of wellbeing
- Ability to walk by the Spirit when temptations arise (especially in the area of any besetting sins)
If you’ve noticed positive change from the practice of waking in the Spirit, incorporate it into your daily routine for the next week, and then possibly the next. You might find, over time, that you’ve made a lifestyle change that significantly impacts the trajectory of your days.
Further Reading:
Romans 8:1-11
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/PeopleImages
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Related Resource: How Habit Stacking Will Help You Discipline Your Mind, Body, & Spirit
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