“When we are experiencing something incredibly uncomfortable, it’s the beginning of the vital ‘crucifying of the flesh’ that unlocks something incredibly supernatural, and life in the Spirit is established. We cannot live by the Spirit without crucifying the flesh, and we cannot crucify the flesh until we are pressed on all sides, forcing it out of us. Most feel the sting of their flesh being crushed and retreat or ‘find a way out.’
Finding a way out is actually easy.
We can leave our job, ditch relationships, harbor unforgiveness, numb out, binge eat, busy ourselves, develop bad (or seemingly good) habits to avoid what we are feeling . . . anything that we can grab hold of that brings comfort to our flesh is a way out.
Avoiding the process and looking for ways to keep our flesh comfortable is costing us our spiritual maturity. James clearly says that when we yield to this process of tests and challenges, the end result is that we are not lacking in any area; we become spiritually mature.
Many of us do not understand why life here on earth seems so hard. It’s because so many of us have a value system that is not lined up with God’s. We’ve spent too much time and effort creating kingdoms for our old nature to be comfortable, leading us to false comfort, spiritual burn-out, and frustrations with life. God clearly shows us through His Word that life here will be filled with hard times, but there are promises attached to this reality . . . He will be our comfort; He will fill us with His strength and His peace, and His joy will be our strength as He hides us in the shadows of His wings.
We will not walk through hard things without Him!” —Ripple Effect (book)
Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. —James 1:2-4 (MSG)
Submitting to the process of crucifying the flesh unlocks our life in the Spirit, launching us into the supernatural freedom Jesus paid for!
