Mind and Body

Maybe you've heard something along the lines of, "The mind is strong but the body is weak." This is a reality that we all face as our bodies begin to get older and break down. It's this reality that says, we just can't do the things we used to do when we were younger but our mind still thinks we can. I am not really sure why that is either. I mean, why can't there be some kind of impulse that our brain sends to our body warning us, "You better not play that, eat that, or drink that b/c if you do, you'll pay for it later"?

Lately, my bones and joints do a lot of cracking and aching yet I am still convinced....in my mind....I can run for miles, play basketball all day, and work out 4 days a week. Oh and by the way, I still eat my share of brownies and ice cream through the week too. ; )

That said, the frustrating reality that I'm beginning to face is that I am not as young as I used to be and while the mind is definitely still strong, determined, and stubborn, the body is definitely breaking down, getting tired, and growing weaker.
And I know there are some who are probably laughing about this and rolling your eyes b/c I am only 34 and you are thinking, "Just wait until you get to be my age!" But it doesn't matter what the age is b/c the fact remains, our minds always stay strong while our bodies grow weak.

I can't help but wonder how this relates to our Spiritual lives. There is no doubt that the same frustration exist when it comes to our quest to do what is good and not do what is evil. I mean, in our minds/hearts, we know what we should be doing but b/c our bodies are weak, our flesh is weak, we find ourselves doing what we shouldn't.

Paul faced this reality when he said in Romans 7:15ff, "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do." Vs. 18- "I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do- this I keep doing."

Clearly, Paul is struggling w/ wanting to do good, yet he finds himself doing evil. This is the battle that we face everyday. It's this battle against mind verses body or Spirit verses flesh b/c in our minds/Spirits we know what we should do but our bodies/flesh tell us to do the opposite. So what can we do?

Here's 2 things we can do:
First, cry out to Jesus. Paul said in Romans 7:24-25, "What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God- through Jesus Christ our Lord!"
Paul knew that the only way he could do what is right is if he "got right" w/ God. And he knew that the only way to do that was through his son, Jesus. So Paul, calls out to him to rescue him from his sinful "body of death."

Second, confess our wretchedness. Paul realized he was a sinner, he was broken, he was a "wretched man." He knew that he had to confess his sins to God so he could be forgiven of the things he had done. So w/ all humility Paul confesses that he is a "wretched man", acknowledging that it is only God who can and will forgive him.

I am sure all of us struggle or will struggle, physically, to do things we used to do, yet our minds say we can still do those things. But this note isn't about what we can/can't do physically. This is about what we do Spiritually, as we struggle to do what is right but find ourselves doing things we shouldn't, things we hate, things we regret.

So where do you find yourself as you read this note? Maybe you find yourself saying, as Paul did, "I do not understand what I do" and b/c of that, you need to cry out to Jesus and confess to him. And even now as you consider that, the mind is telling you, "do it...cry to him, confess to him." But your body is saying, "Forget that. You are fine. You don't need to do that."

If this is you, may you find the strength to do what is right by calling on Jesus and confessing your sins to him. May this be the day you make a commitment to do what you know to do is right, and stop doing the things you shouldn't; things you know are wrong.

BW