Born That Way

James 1.19 instructs us, "Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. I don't know about you, but my natural tendencies are the exact opposite of those godly instructions.

It is almost as if God is saying, "Don't do what comes naturally."

If you back up to James 1.2 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds," Yeah, like that comes naturally.

I believe the message of Christ is giving up our own identity and putting on Christ. Having love for my enemies doesn't come as naturally as "eye for an eye and tooth for tooth" does.

When my defense is just to shrug my shoulders and say, "That's just who I am." , I believe God's instructions are "Yeah, quit being that and be godly instead." That's a life long struggle in the making. I encourage you to take up that struggle. The Lord knows I am struggling too.