Consider YOUR attitude, character, and personality… then compare them to others. These three things are who people are (And who YOU are!). Those who aren’t believers in Christ have no control over them (Though they think they do). Christians are just as inept, but for the Holy Spirit in them.

Paul wrote in 1 Cor 15:10-11, “By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.”

Who and what you are is given to you by God (1 Cor 15:10-11). This is infected with sin so that it is not what is intended. Therefore each Christian is responsible to fight against sin so as to work with God to become more like Christ… which is a process God will not allow anything but success. Thus everyone’s attitude, character, and personality is hard wired into them by God, yet the individual is responsible to walk according to the Spirit so as not to carry out the desires of the flesh.

This is a war… a daily battle… a tough row to hoe. You make mistakes and fail to be the person Christ would have you be… and so do others. Most often this happens when stress enters life. At those times what is in the heart works through the mind to the mouth and become our actions. The last sentence can take place in a millisecond of time so short we cannot consciously prevent or edit it.

We aren’t perfect in our thoughts, words, or actions. In fact, we are bent toward sin in each of these so that we do not do what we want and do what we don’t want.

SO WHAT?

So work diligently to walk according to the Spirit. Rely on God, pleading to Him for help. Then be patient, forgiving, and gracious with others because they have the same battle that you fight every day.