My refrigerator door appears to have a mind of its own. When I want it to stay open, it closes. When I want it to close, it stays open. Not wide open, but open just enough that food could spoil if it went unnoticed. And it seems that the older the refrigerator gets, the more the door wants to stay open when I try to gently close it. What’s with that? I guess I didn’t realize that refrigerator doors can think for themselves.
I close the refrigerator door thinking it’s closed shut, and then I turn around to see it standing open. It seems to taunt me to push it harder. But in the past only a gentle push was necessary. And it’s not that I’ve lost my strength. It seems that the door just needs a harder push. But why? When did it change? And why did it change? I don’t understand.
I like to think that I’ve always treated my refrigerator well. But. There is the fact that I don’t clean it out properly on a regular schedule. But I do sometimes wipe smudges from the door. And I keep the fridge full of food. It doesn’t ever stand empty. At times it’s even overflowing. So, what’s the problem? I’m sure I’ll never know.
Do the hinges on refrigerator doors need to be tightened over time? If so, who does that? How would that even work? The rest of the appliance seems to be in good working order. So why not the door?
The door doesn’t realize that as the owner, I am the one who decides if it stays open or closed. I choose to keep the door open so I can load and unload food or clean it out. Or I choose whether to close it to keep the food from spoiling. It’s my decision. The door has no say in the matter. It must do as I choose. I guess I should be thankful that it can’t open and close on its own. Or there would be trouble.
It may seem strange that I’m writing about unruly refrigerator doors. But imagine if I was writing about a rebellious teenager. Or a screaming toddler. Or an obstinate employee. Or a wayward spouse. Or a sinner who constantly turns their back on God. Or myself. How would the scene be different?
For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. Romans 8:7
It isn’t surprising that the world is full of rebellious people. We are a rebellious lot. We have a stubborn streak. A selfish streak. A know-it-all streak. A mean streak. You can call it what you want, but we’re full of trouble. We have sinful desires and impulses that cause us to make bad decisions. On our own, we live in hostility to God. We don’t honor him. We disregard his commands.
The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? Jeremiah 17:9
If we have not allowed God to be the God of our lives, then we are hostile to him. Our sinful nature is at war with God Almighty. You may ask what the sinful nature it. It’s that inherent part of a person that sins and disobeys God’s will. We all have it. We’re born with it. We can’t cut it out of ourselves. And it will dominate us if we don’t allow the Holy Spirit to control us in every way. We will be under its control.
Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God. Romans 8:5-8
The problem is that we can’t remove our sinful nature. But when we surrender our lives to God, we can refuse to let it dictate our lives. We can follow God’s lead as we live out each day. The power of the Holy Spirit in our lives is greater than the evil spirit can ever be. As children of God, we can live free of the pressures of our sinful nature. When we bow in submission to our Savior, Jesus Christ, we allow him to be the driving force in our lives. If you haven’t already, surrender your life to Christ and repent of your sins. Don’t let sin control you.
The Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. 1 John 4:4