"It's Not About Me, and It's Not About Now"
“For if you live according to the dictates of the flesh, you will surely die. But if through the power of the Holy Spirit you are habitually putting to death the evil deeds prompted by the body, you shall really and genuinely live forever.”
Romans 8:13 (AMPC)
If you’ve watched any advertisements lately, listen to any current music, been on Instagram, or have watched any current reality TV shows you will see an overarching message;
“It’s all about me, and it’s all about now.”
“Why should I buy some crazy new tea that will help me lose weight quickly but may make me sick? Because it’s all about what I want to do right now.”
“Why should I drink like there’s no tomorrow and sleep with the hot guy in the club? Because it’s all about what will feel good now.”
“Why should I watch a movie that glorifies unhealthy and masochistic relationships? Because I feel like I’m missing out on something exciting and adventurous in my love life!”
We hear song after song that talk about how “tomorrow doesn’t matter” and how we just need to be “living for the moment.”
We are taught to serve ourselves and our bodies as if there will never be a consequence.
The fast food industry thrives off of this mindset. McDonald’s is basically banking on people wanting what’s biggest and what’s fastest even though it could be destructive, even deadly, in the long run.
On the more extreme side, the sex industry is driven by this as well. People are kidnapped and sold as sex slaves to people stuck in a mindset of, “It’s all about me and what I want right now.”
Often it can feel like this is what “the world” is doing, and not what we’re doing in our own lives. We don’t have an honest enough view of our own hearts and minds to see that we’re making similar compromises in our own “world.”
Paul reminds us to look at ourselves and our sin with “sober judgement” (Romans 12:3) which we often neglect because of just how uncomfortable it can be to do. We, naturally, don’t want to examine our sin life.
I struggle here because I tend to be an “ignorance is bliss” type of person. I don’t want to check to see what’s in the bank because I don’t want to be reminded that I’m broke. I don’t want to find out if the guy I like is interested because it may lead to heartbreak sooner rather than later. I don’t want to weigh myself because I don’t want to be disappointed. While none of these things are good and I should really get over all of them- none of them are nearly as important as examining my sin life.If I choose to ignore the natural wickedness in my own heart, it will literally lead to destruction, according to scripture. Why, you may ask?
Because:
“It’s not about me, and it’s not about now.”
If I let my heart give into sin, it may seem as if it doesn’t affect me right away, but that’s the deceptive side of sin that makes it seem so enticing. It always feels so right in the moment. But so often, it’s the after effect that gets us.
We don’t feel that a Big Mac is a bad idea in the moment because we’re starving but years later while sitting in a cardiologist, we may realize that having one every day for 20 years may not have been the greatest of choices. The one time that there was “no other option” didn’t cause the problem- the habit did.
Now, I won’t try to give in depth scenarios of habitual sins- we all have our tendencies towards one thing or another. They’re the things that you do and then think, “yeah, this will be the last time.”
But it just never is.
These sins can often feel absolutely impossible to leave behind but that is exactly why Paul says that it is possible, but only through the power of the Holy Spirit. Even then, he reminds us that it is a constant process. We are constantly denying the flesh, constantly denying what is now.
This is only done through the power of the Holy Spirit and by keeping our eyes on Jesus and eternity.
The only reason that “It’s not about me and it’s not about now" is true is because it’s all about Him and it’s all about eternity.
When we walk with this pressed into our hearts it changes how we see ourselves, our lives, and our sin. When we keep our eyes locked on Jesus and on things that have eternal significance, it changes what we desire. We then desire to seek Him and draw closer to Him instead of satisfying the flesh.
He is greater than any earthly good. Being known by Him and knowing Him and being loved by Him and loving Him is the only thing that can satisfy our souls and can allow us to “really and genuinely live forever."
Liafaith Fischer is a Refres{her} blogger for Ignite Life. She is a 23 year old singer/songwriter who was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania but has made Las Vegas her home. She feels called to communicate that not only is brokenness beautiful but it is what brings the lonely together and is what draws us closest to Christ. She does this through original songs, which can be found on her debut EP, Wander, and on her blog- liafaithlive.com. She also works full time for Grace City Church as a worship leader and as their worship/production coordinator.