April 04th, 2022

​As long as we live, and regardless of how strong we are, we will contend with our flesh as we struggle with thoughts that influence our self perception, self esteem, self worth, etc. Someone can say something to us and circumstances can provoke the recall of messages that were spoken to us as children, or experiences that shaped and molded who we are today. 

In Song of Solomon 6, the Shulamite woman’s inner struggle is on display and is described as a battle between two armies (13). Inner conflict manifests when the Word of God informs us of who we are, and our flesh speaks to us in opposition. The flesh contends that we are less than and should be, feel, or look like someone other than who we are. There’s the tendency to use demand-based thinking with the use of words such as, "should," "must," "ought to," "have to," and "need to." This type of thinking can induce a mental state, such as depression that can cause us to withdraw, change our countenance, level of energy and motivation.

The new nature which God implants in his people is directly the opposite of the old one. As the old nature comes of Satan, being defiled and depraved by the fall, so the new nature comes direct from heaven, pure and without spot. As the old nature is sin, is essentially sin, so the new nature is essentially grace—it is a living and incorruptible seed which lives and abides forever, a seed which cannot sin, because it is born of God. When these two come into conflict, it is as fire and water meet—either the one or the other must die. Now the old nature was here before the new nature; it is like a tree well rooted—it has been there twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, or sixty years, according to the date of conversion, and it is not easily torn up by its roots. Even when grace comes into the heart and makes sin to fall, the stump is left, and there is enough vitality in that old stump still to breed the pain” of old experiences and negative messaging that we have endured.   Charles Spurgeon

The Word of God is our invitation to “Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, that we may look upon thee. What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies,” (Song of Solomon 6:13). If we find ourselves struggling inwardly today, let us, “recover the peace lost and come back to our former composedness and cheerfulness of spirit."

​GiGi❤️

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