Hello Audience,
I feel bad for my extended absence. I lost touch of my priorities and this blog is actually quite beneficial because putting my thoughts out there helps me think more clearly.
I am not a guy who considers himself smarter or wiser than other people around me. I have my dull moments and my absolute boneheaded moments. But, I am a man who can pick up on patterns in my own life and the lives of others around me. Recently, the pattern that has been on my mind is people letting their "natural man" not only be the priority in their life, but also let their natural wants hurt their long term success. Most of you probably know what I mean by "natural man", but for those who may be confused.
“The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:14). The natural man is born with a hard and un-regenerated heart that is not amenable to God and to things of God. - The Disciple Paul
If you read this and thought "Well, this is just a bunch of religious mumbo-jumbo. I don't consider myself religious and therefor this does not apply to me." Well, it really does. In fact, it applies to even the most atheist non-believing people alive. Granted, I do consider myself somewhat religious, many of the innerworkings of the Christian faith are still unclear to me. Think of "Spirit of God" being the things in life that are truly fulfilling, the things that make you get out of bed happy everyday, the things that when you look back on your life you can truly be proud of. The way I think about this quote, just as Christians believe about the path of getting to Heaven and making yourself more Christ-like in nature, the path to feeling any sort of feeling true self-fulfillment is one that is not only difficult but requires ultimate selflessness, patience, and empathy.
People that embody the "natural man": Greedy Stock Traders, Drug Addicts, Charlie Sheen
Pleasing the natural man is a road that is easy, comfortable, and can even be very exciting. But, it is one that won't provide any sort of true happiness. It is a road of finding the next "fix". The next drug, the next sum of money in their bank account, or the next party. When you get this "fix" the joy or relief you may feel is short lived and you will inevitably come to desperately searching for your next "fix". The problem with this way of life, is that drugs, money, and things of that nature come and go, They won't help you through your lows, and they won't help you achieve the best version of yourself. Prioritizing these artificial sources of fulfillment is a quick way to introduce corruption and struggle into your life.
The common misconception is that having these artificial sources is not a problem on the path to achievement. Time after time though, I have found in my own life and in many others people lives, that you can't have a ball in both courts. People don't realize the control these things take on you. In my own life, I have had my struggles with prioritizing these distractions. Every time it is the same process, I pursue things that provide artificial sources of happiness, I feel unbothered by it and don't recognize the way it's holding me back, and then, out of the blue, I get a rude awakening and have to reevaluate my life and change my priorities. I have gone through this with vaping, partying, money, and even within relationships. I always regret my pursuit of things of the natural man and always wish I would have had cut these things out of my life and pursued more meaningful things. Things that are truly valuable to me are things like genuine interpersonal relationships, achieving things in my education, and teaching myself new skills. It is hard to do these things when you are worried about things of the natural man. Whether you realize it or not, these distractions are holding you back more thank you think, and soon one of these rude awakenings will present itself and you will be left with just regret.
The road less traveled, the road that leads away from the natural man and the artificial sources of happiness is not at all easy. Whether it be following that diet, missing those parties, or putting down the drugs, the struggle of keeping a long term perspective will test your commitment. You cannot get rid of the urges of the natural man, only learn how to control them and resist them. For me, it has always worked on a system of replacement. When I feel the urge to go out and drink with friends, I go to the gym instead. Turning down those invitations are hard, but going to do something that makes you better physically as well as clears your mind, leaves me feeling more fulfilled in the end and regret free. Fill your life with people and pastimes that make you better, and put you closer to your goals, and the future you will thank you. You may miss the pursuit of the natural man in the beginning, but in the future you can look back on your life and be proud of the person you have become. My natural man is testing me every day, and sometimes he wins. But, what's important is making the conscious choice to recognize those things as beneath you and to keep that long term perspective with every decision. Ask any recovered drug addict or formerly obese person how hard it was to give up their vice of choice, but then ask them if that choice was the begging to a happier, more fulfilling life. My challenge to myself is to further subdue the wants of my inner natural man and to spend more of my valuable time in doing things that move me a rung up the ladder on the path to true achievement and fulfillment. Don't waste your time on things that leave you feeling empty or detracted, use your time to do something meaningful.
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