Domination

Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.  So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. - Romans 8:5-6

"Domination".  A word that implies rule and control, but even more.  It is a supremacy, something that you can't get by or over.  In chess, domination refers to a chess piece with wide movements that cannot avoid being captured.   In sports, when a team is being dominated by another team it becomes apparent to all observing that there is nothing that team can do where the other team doesn't crush their efforts. 

Paul writes here that our sinful nature dominates us when we focus and stay mindful of sinful things.  Unfortunately, I have lived here and have been dominated.  It is the worst place I've ever been in my whole life.  It is misery for the soul.  Guilt piled on top of feelings of failure piled on top of realizing your inadequacies piled on top of disappointment piled on top of discouragement piled on top of guilt piled on top of feelings of failure .... it just keeps piling up over and over again.  At the bottom of this time I wrote, "I just want to stop living.  I am having trouble discerning who wouldn't be better for it.   I felt like God told me early on that it would be more selfish to die than to live, but now, I'm not so sure.  I just want to stop living.  ...  I can't kill myself in any way that would be proper for my family to accept.  So I have power over nothing.  If I am to die, God needs to kill me in a way He sees fit.  If I am to live, He has to do the living.  I can't live anymore and know that I will only hurt others.  If I keep living, it will happen.  I will hurt someone God loves.  He should kill me."  That is the domination of the sinful nature when we focus on and think primarily about sinful things.  Its ultimate victory being putting us in a position where we cannot move.  All that is left is our removal from the game, "letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death." 

"Domination".  There is another domination.  If we are controlled by the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of the Living God, we think and dwell on the things that please His Spirit.  Philippians 4:8 says "Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy — meditate on these things."  If we focus on the Spirit we can think and meditate on those characteristics of God.  It is these things that are pleasing to the soul; that give life to our soul; that fill us with joy; that opens our eyes to see the blue skies and the green grass; that opens our ears to hear the sweet sound of a baby or children laughing; that opens our heart to hold precious the touch and closeness of all those we love and who love us.  This is how we want to experience our days. "Letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace." 

Be dominated today, but be sure it is by His Spirit and in so doing live a life worthy of living.