Cravings, Constraint, Control

Genesis 4:7 (MBB)

“Kung mabuti ang ginawa mo, dapat kang magsaya. Kung masama naman, ang kasalana’y tulad ng mabangis na hayop na laging nag-aabang upang lapain ka. Nais nitong pagharian ka. Kaya’t kailangang mapaglabanan mo ito.

 (NEB)“....it shall be eager for you, and you will be mastered by it.”

I was talking to a single lady a few weeks ago and she blurted out, “Ate Jez, kung hindi naman pala ibibigay ni Lord sa akin kung ano yung desire ko ngayon, pwede bang alisin nalang ni Lord yung desire?”.

I think I’ve written the same question and request on my journal a few years ago, too! :-D But let me share with you what God has taught me: No, it’s not going to happen. This revelation has set me free! Hindi aalisin ng Diyos ang desire for a man or woman, physical intimacy, chocolate cake, a new iPad, o kung anuman ‘yun that we’re craving out of our systems! It’s because God wants us to be masters over our desires. The NKJV of Genesis 4:7 says, “...but you should rule over it”. Kung aalisin ito ng Diyos, how can we learn the art of mastering over our desires, instead of being controlled by them?
You see, you have received many seeds of the Word of God, you have faith, you have the grace of God, you have the privilege of prayer. Therefore, nag-eexpect ang Diyos na gamitin natin at i-exercise natin ang ating mga “spiritual muscles” to get around life.

Is it sin to have desires?
Kasalanan ba ang mga “desires” mo na ito? Definitely not! Hindi “sin” na magkaroon ng ganitong desires. In fact, we were wired with these desires. Saan pumapasok ang either Godliness or sin? --- in our response to it. Kung may desires ka, yet your response is that you’ve chosen to honor God above all, that’s righteousness and Godliness. But if you have desires, and then these things have become idols of your heart, replacing the place of God as number one in your heart, or when it moves you to do things that do not please God, then I would dare to say you must have crossed the line. Mali na. Kasalanan na.

A God-shaped hole. Kung kakapit tayo sa mga bagay (other than God) para kumpletuhin ang ating mga sarili, then God will allow that we be consumed with our desires, kasi nga He has given us free will. Pero I tell you, we will come to the point where we will finally realize na kung anuman iyong kinakapitan natin, kailanman ay hindi nito maaaring mapunan ang puwang na ang Diyos lamang ang maaring pumuno -- a “God-shaped hole” as old preachers say.

Ever-loving Lover. Yet while we chase other “lovers”, God is watching us and waiting the whole time, jealous of our attention. And thankfully, the moment that we wake up to our mistake, He will draw us back into His loving arms, demonstrating to us that no one can love us as much as He does. ‘Wag mo munang hanapin ang satisfaction sa iba. Be spiritually full. Have a full life. Be satisfied from the inside out. It is only then that God will enable us to begin to truly love. <3

Aalisin ba Niya ang desires mo for affection and love? Hindi. Dahil nais niya na ang desires na ito ay mai-refocus natin sa Kanya (namali lang ng subject and vent sa nakaraan, eh). So let us rule over these desires and put them in the right perspective. Do not let them master nor control you.

It is the control of passions and desires that is needed, not the elimination of these. After all, how would we learn to submit and surrender to God if we had nothing to submit?