By: Elizabeth Haarberg

Lust

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking this SoundCloud link.

Desire is not a problem until it turns into something darker, and the lust for the object, person, or experience begins to consume our thoughts and actions.

God creates us with a desire for Him; it’s how we are all created, but our contamination of that desire begins as soon as we’re born, maybe even in the womb. The battle for attention begins early in life. God has designed us from the dirt of the Earth to be in relationship with Him. Satan continues to want nothing more than for us to replace God with something else, something shiny or ambitious.

But back to the original point, it’s not the shiny object or ambition that keeps us separated from God, it’s where our heart and mind are focused.

“The mind governed by the flesh is death but the mind governed by the spirit is life and peace.”
Romans 8:6 English Standard Version

What’s the solution for the unmet desire? Be full of the Holy Spirit.

“So I say walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”
Galatians 5:16 English Standard Version

The answer to combating a desire and reducing the chances of it enveloping us is to become more like God by spending time with Him and letting His nature become ours.

“Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”
1 Peter 1:4 New International Version

The main point when dealing with lust or unmet desires is that we cannot hide from God. He sees and knows everything, so we can’t run fast enough or hide well enough to keep the information from Him. Facing our desire, asking Him to heal us, surrendering our will to Him, and letting the Holy Spirit fill us is the best way to change our course.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs