Shedding the Natural

What a painstaking thing to do. We are to live not for the flesh, for the temporal things, for the short term high’s.

Colossians 3:2

1Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.…

Well, although I have heard this many times and I believe I semi grasped what that meant, I emphasize “semi”, there are deep layers to this verse. God, is revealing the layers to us slowly and timely, because if HE revealed it all at once we would not be able to handle it, so HE spoon feeds it to us.

In the earlier days of my walk with Christ, these were my thoughts on this verse-
some of my earthly goals- a new car, make sure I am well liked, nice house, new clothes, good jobs, vacations.

These were some of my earthly goals, and although I like these things still, they are not going to make me or break me. They are not going to determine if I have “arrived” or not. Because to be honest with all of you, I have gained a lot of these things and it still did not make me feel complete, I still was not satisfied. Who really is satisfied?

Our hungry souls are what is really longing to be satisfied.

Next phase, okay, I don’t need all these earthly treasures, and I can live for the heavenly things, but wait there is more, another layer, the layer of SELF. Man oh man this is a tough layer. We all want to be approved, loved, successful. Well, gosh we were taught to be productive citizens, we are taught to get along and to make good lives for ourselves. How can we be doing this if we are storing up treasure in heaven, how do we balance that? It appears contradictory, it seems irresponsible, to ourselves and our families. Let’s take a look at what the Bible says about this very subject so we can better understand God’s plan for us and our walk straight out of this life in to the next-

Matthew 6:32-33 /32″For the Gentiles (US) eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33″But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Proverbs 28:10
Whoever leads the upright along an evil path will fall into their own trap, but the blameless will receive a good inheritance.

Proverbs 8:18
With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity.

John 6:27
But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.”

All the things that we seek as humans are perishable, food, houses, relationships, things, even life.

Matthew 10:39
If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.

Shedding the Natural is a process, but it is a process worth grasping for.

This prayer is helping me personally to let go of self, I hope it encourages some one reading this today.
****Litany of Humility****

O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being loved…
From the desire of being extolled …
From the desire of being honored …
From the desire of being praised …
From the desire of being preferred to others…
From the desire of being consulted …
From the desire of being approved …
From the fear of being humiliated …
From the fear of being despised…
From the fear of suffering rebukes …
From the fear of being calumniated …
From the fear of being forgotten …
From the fear of being ridiculed …
From the fear of being wronged …
From the fear of being suspected …

That others may be loved more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be esteemed more than I …
That, in the opinion of the world,
others may increase and I may decrease …
That others may be chosen and I set aside …
That others may be praised and I unnoticed …
That others may be preferred to me in everything…
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should…