Sunday, September 7, 2008

Human Nature and Me

My wife and I were walking this morning and I told her I had come to a realization that my human nature is no longer second nature.

4 comments:

...and Enide said...

What do you mean? :-)

John Fincher said...

Sorry. I should have explained before.

It has to do with what I told Adam a few days ago and the work of the Holy Spirit.

I have experienced some things in my life lately that I cannot explain. And I’m not talking about anything overtly supernatural (although, I am also not discounting that He still works that way either), but different thoughts and attitudes that do not seem like...me.

In other words, I am not reacting like I used to. He has changed my attitudes, my thoughts, and my desires. I am also asking Him to change my actions.

My old, human nature was not in check and I reacted as if it were second nature. Now at least, I think before I act.

Does that make sense?

...and Enide said...

I think so. If I understand you, you're making one of my very favorite, Aristotelian distinctions: human nature is unique because it is both animal and spiritual. Being human in learning to listen to the spiritual body with your animal body--which, of course, one can only really do with the grace of God. It's a really cool way to appreciate what it is to be human and I'm so happy to hear that we're both working toward the same goal!

Aida said...

Hi John,

Thanks for visiting my blog and inviting me over here to yours.

Like you, I’m amazed at the changes I’m seeing in me. Now, I just act instead of reacting to my circumstances. Later, when I think about it, I know that response was coming out of my new nature because I never would have acted that way before.

Also, I’m learning that it’s okay to be human and to have human thoughts and feelings. That understanding has really freed me and removed a lot of the guilt.