Living by the Spirit

Galatians 5:16
So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

We always hear teachers and preachers telling us to “live by the Spirit,” but what exactly does that mean? It seems like it should be so simple, so why are we always struggling against “the desires of the sinful nature”?
I won’t pretend to have the answer here, but let’s take a moment to look at this together. When I read this in context, Paul seems to be intimating that it is about our focus. Just as we have been talking, are we focused inward or outward? Are we focused on Christ and others, or us, us, us? We’ve pretty-much hashed that one out, haven’t we?
So what else do we need to be conscious of? One thing that God seems to be driving home with me these days is living NOW. Not focusing on the past or even the future, but living today, enjoying today, solving today’s problems, experiencing God today.
It is so easy for me to wonder and think of all that God has in-store for my future, thinking and day-dreaming about all the different possibilities. When I do this, I believe that I steal from myself the present moment and all that God has in-store for me today. Of course we need to plan for and take care-of the future as much as we can. But we also need to be aware that God’s plans often are not our own.
It seems that when I spend so much time wallowing in (or else glorifying) the past, or dreaming about the future, the little things of each day tend to take me by surprise. Hence, it’s much easier to fall prey to the desires of the sinful nature. I forget to walk with God today, to talk to Him, to listen to Him, and to just be aware of Him at each moment. I am looking forward to experiencing Him instead of experiencing Him right now.
Let’s start by “practicing the presence of God” today. Be aware of His presence, and what He may be telling us at any given moment. We can go to the Word and discover what He wants us to know for today. He desires to be in relationship with us all the time, each and every moment of each and every day. He is seeking to envelop us in His love and grace and mercy, and I think that so often we miss it! Live for God today, friend, for you will never live this moment again!