Contemplative Bible Reading

Ephesians 4:23 (New Living Translation)

Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.

Ever want a better attitude? Ever want stop thinking bad about people and things and start thinking more positive? If only God would just change my attitude.

Come on God, have your Spirit renew my thoughts and attitudes.

That is biblical, right? Wrong. Okay, let’s try another one.

God, make your Spirit renew my thoughts and attitudes.

Biblical, right? Wrong. Let’s try again.

God, give me the strength to renew my thoughts and attitudes.

That has to be biblical, right? Still wrong. We could keep trying to guess what is biblical. Let’s go to the Bible instead.

God, help me to stop trying to do this all by myself and instead let your Spirit renew my thoughts and attitudes.

That is what I think  Ephesians 4:23 is saying. As a Christian, God’s Spirit dwells within me. That Spirit is powerful and can do a lot things – wonderful, miraculous things. My problem is that I have to let the Spirit do those things; I have to allow the Spirit to do those things. Sometimes I just have to plain get out of the way.

Getting out of the way and allowing God’s Spirit to act should be easy. Maybe it “should be easy,” but it isn’t easy. Doing nothing is often the hardest thing for many of us accomplished, well educated, prideful people to do or not do or something like that. “All I have to do” is push my self back a few steps and let God’s Spirit come forward.

God, help me defeat my pride so You can rule in my life.

I think that one is biblical.