¹⁷ For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want. (Galatians 5:17 CSB)

If you have been in the faith, and faithful, any time you will realize just how opposed the flesh and the Spirit truly are. So much so that you don’t do what you want, as our scripture relates.

Thus, we must fight the flesh if we want to follow the way of the Spirit. How easily this flows off the tongue, to say one thing but then do another. Paul said in relation to this internal fight, ”What a wretched man I am.” It can often feel that way when we wish to do one thing but act in another.

I have found one thing that helps me in this matter more than any other. To continually have a brief prayer of thankfulness on my mind. To begin any action or thought with thanks to God for His hand in a positive outcome. When I do this I begin with something other than myself in mind.

I am not perfect in this desire, my mind wanders to wrong things, I falter and fail. What a wretched man I am!

But I try, and I go on trying more and more each day.