In 2Corinthians 4:18 (NIV), through the Apostle Paul, God gives us an incredible piece of wisdom that is fundamental to living a life of abundance and peace. This verse says, “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” The world has made a habit of focusing its attention on things like fame, fortune, celebrity, fashion, and financial wealth and power. These are the ‘seen’ things that give people a false sense of security. God doesn’t want us to focus our attention on those things because they are not real. They are temporary, and if we put too much stock in them, we will lose something that we can’t get back.
Jesus Christ posed a very pivotal question in Mark 8:36(NLT). He asked, “And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?” He’s letting us know under no uncertain terms that it is very possible to gain the things that the world deems worthy and lose one of the most important gifts that we’ve received, which is our souls. There are many individuals that are oblivious when it comes to the inner sanctum of their souls, and this is one of the reasons why they can’t discern what is or isn’t real.
One of the most important abilities to possess in life is spiritual discernment. Everyone will not have this ability. There are some people that will never be influenced or care about the gospel of Jesus Christ, and some of these individuals might claim to be Christians. As women of God that are seeking to go higher in Christ, there must be a distinct difference between us and them, and this difference is evidenced by our concern for the condition of our own souls. When we know that this earth is not our home, and that we are just passing through; and we understand that our treasures are laid up in heaven, our choices and decisions become very important to us.
I am reminded of a professional woman I know that is always flawless. Her makeup is perfect, designer shoes and bags are her staple, and the wardrobe is always on point. She considers herself a Christian, and it is rather common knowledge that dating married men is not off limits for her. She made the statement, “I’ve been living this way for years, and I haven’t had a problem.” This is a serious condition of denial, arrogance, and self-punishment. If we can’t discern when we’re inflicting harm on our own souls, then we certainly won’t be able to recognize when someone else is doing it.
Obedience is a spiritual discipline that we learn to embrace, and its best teacher is consequence. A person who ignores their soul and deprives it of spiritual nourishment from God’s Word will probably not be able to discern when the devil is squeezing life’s vital essence right out of them. They’re in serious trouble and don’t even realize it. The sobering truth is that bad choices and wrong decisions will never escape consequences. No matter if someone has been living a certain way for one or twenty years, when we do something that separates us from the Will of God, and have no deep and Godly sorrow for it, we are in grave danger of making hell our home.
We have freedom of will to live our lives in whatever way we choose, but God wants us to live a rich and fulfilling life, and Jesus Christ tells us in Matthew 6:33(NKJV) that the way to do this is to make sure that we seek God’s Kingdom and His righteousness above all else. If we don’t do this, if we choose sin over love, we may look like a million bucks, but as Deuteronomy 28:23 warns, the heaven over our heads will be brass; it will be closed to us. We should do everything within our power to avoid that kind of life. ■
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“When Heaven over Our Heads is Brass”, written by Kim Times, edited by Reverend Fran Mack for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2018. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.