Dual Boot Beings

I started having problems with my computer on Sunday morning. The pastor gave a really uplifting message regarding faith in the fiery days ahead. It’s a very timely message since lately, it seems my faith stance has amassed me unintended enemigos than amigos. My family drove past a Christian Science Church yesterday and my husband and I were immediately reminded of a pastor’s comment that it is barely Christian and neither is it scientific. I thought it was worth mentioning since the analogy I’m about to give carries a spiritual significance with computer science imagery.

It took some hours to figure out what was wrong with my computer. It was constantly stuck on the welcome screen. I restarted it a few times and waited it out but it wouldn’t leave the loading stage. It resolved on its own for a little while enough for me to be able to make my post on Sunday and it went back to its problematic state which persisted until yesterday. I tried to restore it to the state it was before it started having the stagnant problem so that I could retrieve some files. I could have easily just wiped it out on the very same day to fix the problem, but it was the hope of being able to retrieve my bookmarks that kept me from doing that. I was able to retrieve most of the files by pulling out the hard drive and putting it in an enclosure to back it up. Good thing I kept my old laptop. It has the speed of a turtle but it served its purpose when I needed it.

Oftentimes, to fix a problem, we are put in a position to give up some things we’d like to hold on to. My computer problem was easily fixed within less than 30 minutes when I decided to just forget about what I did not want to lose. This was a light exercise which can be applied to weighty things. I’m glad I decided to do the factory restore route. It meant I did not have to deal with being in that “stuck on the welcome screen” for hours.

The question becomes, how tightly and how long will a person hold on to things that prevent him/her from moving forward spiritually?

Dual Boot Beings

Whatever it was that caused the problem, possibly a new update that was incompatible corrupted the system or a virus, the solution necessitated a drastic measure of wiping everything to render the computer in a useful condition again. Your past is wiped clean and you get to start anew! This would be a Christian’s life during spiritual renewal. After being cleansed, a new system is introduced and a person’s life becomes like a dual boot computer, with two different Operating systems. There’s the native system which is given to the flesh and its desires and there’s the spiritual system which is life being led by the Holy Spirit.

“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. ⁶ For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. ⁷ Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. ⁸ So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”

Romans 8:5-8

These two Operating systems can never be reconciled because they operate in different methodologies. They are in constant friction because the flesh operates to satisfy unrighteous desires and urges, while the spiritual system works contrary to those desires and seeks to carry out God’s commands (Romans 7:21-25). It is within our power each day to decide which operating system to use.

Will you choose to live the self-centered life or a God-centered life?

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.”

Romans 8:1-2