Looking from the inside out or from the outside in? Many days now I’ve been distracted by endless activity and thoughts that only bring guilt. What I should be doing I don’t do, and what I do I shouldn’t be doing. Paradox. Meddling with stuff that only wastes precious time, like checking social media too much. And searching for information on behalf of others, even when they’ve not asked for it. That’s me more often that I care to admit. 
Would I love to stay on track, and get rid of this block that stopping me from writing? Is my heart in it? So I look from the inside out.
Or do I look from the outside in? This summer I’ve busied myself with yard sales, de-cluttering and getting mom’s house for sale, organizing family reunions, birthdays, hosting family and friends as guests at my home and cottage, and acting as a tourist guide. Socializing sometimes gets me tired, and yet I love it, but it also drains the introvert side of me.
Fruit of the Spirit
Today’s reading from Jesus Calling devotional encourages me. I’m on the right path and yet it’s a privilege but at the same time perilous. Will I show the reality of Jesus to others? When the fruit remains hidden, I must stay on the path and hide in His Presence.
I ask Jesus to fill me with joy and peace that I may show forth his loving kindness to others. I know you are not the God who demands that I follow the complex rules, but you love me with an everlasting love whether I follow any rules or not.
Grace is sufficient
I let the Spirit guide me into the truth I need for today. I hear the words, ‘My peace I give you’.
What I’ve learned from some writing blogs is that as a beginning writer, I should know the complex rules first and follow them precisely. Only then can I break the rules to allow my creativity freedom of expression. Would it be better to be ignorant and not know about rules at all? Or would it just be better to write freely?
Free writing helps to crush the block that’s in my head.
Growth from the inside
Today I ask for the fruit to be loving to myself and allow growth from the inside.
What is blocking me from doing what I know I should do? Discipline is a good thing for writers. I can make all kinds of promises to myself, but unless I’m serious about doing what I plan to do it’s pointless.
Simple words. So without much editing I post this blog just to get me going again. I let go of guilt that procrastination has enveloped me with. I look from the inside out once again.
But the fruit of the Spirit is joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23.
What about you? What should you be doing that you don’t do, or what are you doing that you shouldn’t be doing? What do you see when you look from the inside out?