There is therefore no condemnation . . .

We often debate what is right or wrong for a Christian to do. 1 Corinthians 6.12 says "Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is beneficial." Paul is simply saying, I am free to choose whatever I want to do because God made us free agents. In Deuteronomy 6.15 God says that he is giving us a choice, life or death. Eternal life with him, or eternal death without him.

The problem for me was trying to be on a certain "level" of Christianity. If I saw someone who was living their life a certain way, I tried to match that in my actions (or non-actions). I was at church for EVERY service, I threw away all of my secular CDs, I separated myself from anyone who wasn't practicing a Godly life. On the surface, this all sounds good, but dig deeper because changing myself was temporary and impossible.

A surgical procedure had me out of church for a couple of weeks. Since I was idle at home and not "doing" church, it was easy for the old habits to creep back in. My problem was that I was trying to "work" my way to God instead of simply surrendering myself to Him. I was doing as the Old Testament Jews: I "circumcised" myself in an effort to keep the law. I changed what I wore, where I went, who I talked to, what I listened to and what I said, but the most important part was left ignored. I never paid any attention to my heart.

Circumcision is broadly defined as "when one keeps the law." In Romans 2.28, Paul says "a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not a cutting of the body but a change of heart produced by God's Spirit." Simply changing the who, what and where in your life will not work. The only way to produce change and live "circumcised" is through the Holy Spirit of God.

In Romans 8, Paul makes it plain:

5.Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.
6.If your sinful nature controls your mind, there is death. But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace.
7.For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God's laws, and it never will.
8.That's why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.
9.But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you.

In order for me to live a life pleasing to God, I must be led by His Spirit, asking him to dwell in me and surrendering my will and life to him. I can not measure my level of faith against someone else's because they are in a different place than I. What God has for them to do is different for what he has for me. What they struggle with, their weaknesses and strengths are different than mine. Therefore, I can not look at someone else's life and try to match what they are doing. If I do, I am focusing on my self - the sinful or carnal nature. I have to focus on God, letting his Spirit lead and guide me toward where I need to be when I need to be there. This doesn't mean that I can live as I want to live, but rather I live as God wants me to live. When the Spirit urges me to not do something or to start doing something else, I must be obedient. This is how I change. This is how I let my light shine, and shining my light encourages others to live a better life too.