Hi Rick,
Well I remember back when I was still in church that a part of my prayer was 'please show me the truth.' I prayed that for a long time and did not have it happen when I first asked for it or for a long time as I continued to ask. But at the right time, and not until He had fully prepared me, then He brought me to Bible-truths and opened my eyes and boy then I had more truth than I knew what to do with.
It was great to see all this truth, to day after day have profound truths revealed while reading Ray's articles. So God had shown me the truth that I had asked to have for so long, but now I had to do more, much more than just know these truths, I had to apply these truths that I was learning to my own life. Now that is so much more than just seeing and knowing truth.
So as you were saying, when my sins were revealed I no longer enjoyable them and even found them to become intolerable. So as we struggle with the beast that becomes so annoyingly resistant to change and tries to hang on to that old way of living, the spirit within gives us victories. So the process goes on for the rest of our lives.
Something I have come to realize is that the more I progress forward in embracing these truths, the more I become isolated. First I left the church and many 'friends' I had there... but it seems that church was really the only thing that I had in common with them, so none of them remained. But I have also noticed that I am getting more distant from my family (mainly extended family) as well. Getting together with them for 'fun' things is not so much fun anymore and even holidays is not what it used to be.
But even though I don't desire to be isolated, it's kind of funny that it's not bothering me that much either. I mean I see family regularly, but not nearly as much as before and I'm okay with that.
I think we have to come to appreciate the time that God gives us for study, meditation and prayer. And if our heart would rather be doing things with family and friends, then chances are that we will drift right back out into the world with them.
John 15:19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
Mat 6:24 "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
You just got me to thinking about things...
mercy, peace and love
Kat