Scripture:
There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death.
Observation:
Man isn’t as smart as he thinks he is. He thinks he knows what is best for him but it is actually what is worst.
Application:
I feel like I am pretty smart. I have a formal education. I read. I study. I am problem solve. However, I am not as smart as I think I am. If left up to myself, I will make decisions that can harm me. Why? My heart is wicked. It leads me to things that are rooted in the temporary. However, my spirit is eternal. My heart and mind will lead me to make decisions that have no long-term insight. These decisions might bring pleasure in the temporary but they create an appetite for stuff that ends up hurting me in the long run.
A couple things:
-Trust the word more than my heart. If the word cautions me against an appetite or behavior, I must heed the warning, even if it is opposite of my appetite.
-I am more than my flesh. I can’t allow the temporary part of me to drive my decisions. I have an eternal part of me that must be developed in obedience to the eternal God.
Prayer:
Father, I need to listen to your word in my spirit. My flesh should be the last voice I listen to. Unfortunately, it is the loudest most days. Help me learn to trust your still, small voice over the shouts of the temporary.