Have you ever had your “feelings” hurt by someone? A rude comment, a careless remark, or a demeaning glance can sting. It “stings” because it is literally; in that moment, the “death” of something.
My youngest son recently bought a pair of new neon green running shoes. He was certain they would make him run faster too! He proudly wore them all afternoon and showed them off to Daddy, and talked about how he couldn’t wait to wear them to school. The next morning he was grinning from ear to ear, racing his brother to the bus stop with his new super fast and awesome running shoes.
Later, that afternoon; however, he got off the bus with a sad face. Yep, it happened; the kids at school made fun of his new shoes. Some called them alien shoes, others said they were so bright they could “blind someone.” He was so disappointed. Those comments had a bite to them, a sting you could say. That sting represented the “death,” the extinction and destruction of his expectations that others were going to like what he liked. This is the death that comes when we are as scripture would say “carnally minded.”
My little man allowed those comments to hurt him because he was focused on the things which are sinful and carnal. In this case, other people’s opinions, thoughts, and ideas.
What could he have done to have peace and not be so upset? Let’s take a look at Romans 8:6
“For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”
All of us have a choice to see things from a worldly perspective, or a biblical perspective. To care more about what God thinks than what man thinks.
God gives us a choice for our eternity as well. We have the free will to decide.
“See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil,
The words of others have the ability to literally irritate (vex) us to death!
And it came to pass, when she pestered him daily with her words and pressed him, so that his soul was vexed to death,
But when we live in fear of our physical death, or the death of a relationship, an idea, a business, or an expectation it can lead us to a lifetime subject to bondage; where we are not free to be the person God created us to be.
and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
(Jesus’ death & resurrection brought this release)
This is why we must always keep our eyes focused on Jesus, His Word written on our hearts, and His views readily before us. In doing so, we may be more and more spiritually minded, which will bring a lifetime of peace and eliminate those “stinging” situations. Jesus through his death and resurrection has won the last battle and conquered death. This is all “death”, in all situations.
O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?
How do you stay spiritually minded?
Written by Jamie Shaver