At some point in my life, I had found myself living a "double life" and I've come to realise that it is this lack of singleness of purpose that made me stumble. My God tells me that He has placed before me life and death and even goes on to advise me to choose life! (Deuteronomy 30:19).
In the face of adversity we always have a choice to make. When Peter was walking on water, his focus was on Jesus, and when the atmosphere around him instilled fear in him, he stopped looking at Jesus and began looking at the waves and started sinking.
James tells me that the double-minded man is unstable in all his ways (1:8). In Revelation Jesus says
"You're not cold, you're not hot- far better to be either cold or hot! You're stale. You're stagnant. You make me want to vomit."
(3:16 The Message). Other versions use the word 'lukewarm' which is double-mindedness. Have you ever had lukewarm tea or coffee? Its tastes weird in one's mouth..
What then is the solution? I've found out that singleness of purpose is the way to overcome. It is said of King Jesoshaphat that "He was single-minded in following GOD; AND HE GOT RID of the local sex-and-religion shrines" (2 Chronicles 17:6 The Message, emphasis mine).
That right there is the solution: to be focused on the person of Jesus, to be single-minded and as a result the things that used to appeal to you won't appeal to you anymore because they would have been displaced by a new vision, a new passion to please God.
I've found myself in the past lacking this single-mindedness and falling in the arms of temptation. But I now know better.
I'll end with this: The lover in Song of Songs describe his bride as follows,
"You're so beautiful, my darling, so beautiful, and your DOVE EYES are veiled" (4:1 The Message, emphasis mine).
I'm told that doves can only look at one direction at a time. This means that when the lovers look at each other, there is a passionate single-mindedness at hand that enables them to be focused on one another only..
May we be men and women of one vision like the dove, and as a consequence be victorious over sin.
Blessings.:-)
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1 comment:
I guess it's the ultimate test of trusting Jesus and the Word when turbulence arrives.....and it aint easy but learn we must-absolutely imperative and in that we GROW. having duplicity of mind never works i tell you, you just find yourself either spiralling downwards or stagnant but thank God for sufficient GRACE! it "saves the day"..........nice one Stannsh.
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