There is a death, a putting off of the old man that must take place in all those that would come after Christ. It is referred to as “death to self”. We are told from the beginning to count the cost. It will be a putting away of all that is of us and gives way to Christ and His Life. It is a giving up of our rights, our natural wants and desires and often to submitting to unpleasant and “unjust” situations, knowing we are in the Lord’s hands and only He can allow these things to come our way for our own good in the end. We naturally suffer when our will is crossed; “our” will does not want to die.

But OH! When we agree with the Lord and lay our will down, saying and meaning it, “Not my will but your will be done. I have counted the cost, I am totally in your hands Lord; do unto me as you will, my trust is in You”. With our eyes on Him, there is no better consolation than His Spirit, when His Life rises up in our soul giving us peace and a joy that this world cannot understand even in the roughest of situations.

The world doesn’t know, nor can it know, of this kind of contentment, peace, joy and security in Him. Instead it must it fight for its rights and do want seems right in their own eyes. The world seeks after the things of this world to “fulfill” their life, but it is only temporary. It needs continual feeding from the things of the world and is activities. Many times the biggest pleasures they receive from the world, when it is over, they sink down into a greater depression than ever before. Always needing more, the things of the world can never satisfy the soul. Its pleasures only end in dryness and emptiness; leaving them looking for the “next” great thing.

The Lord’s will is that none should have to live that way. He has provided an eternal Life for us that will NEVER fade away.

B.Hayes
2/2/2020