Everyday of our lives we experience the events of our lives. The events range from the profound to the mundane. Events involve all of the people we encounter, the places we go and the things we think we have to have. It is in responding to the events of our lives that the sins of self take over and produce repeated difficulties for us. These difficulties always happen in the present and must be dealt with in the present. The crucifixion of self happens in the present and taking our thoughts captive must happen in the present. In the midst of temptation, anger or jealousy we must learn how to respond with something that will stop the temptation, end the anger and overcome the jealousy.
Self must be crucified when it is actively raging. To deal with self on any other basis is fruitless. When self has calmed and the battle of the present has been lost, the opportunity for victory and grace will have passed. The only thing left will be lingering resentment about what has happened, or fear of what may happen in the future. Difficulty is in the present. Self is in the present. God is in the present. Therefore, our problems and our solutions will only be found in one place: the present!
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