Set our minds on the Spirit.

I have been trying to gain a deeper understanding of how to “walk in the Spirit. ” How do I live in a human body and be constantly bombarded by earthly things but  “set my mind on the Spirit”.  How does that work?  So I have been studying in Romans and also praying that God would direct my thinking and show me truth.  Today I read:

(Romans 8:5-8) 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 set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.

For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Wow- that seems black and white.  If we live according to the Spirit we DO set our minds on spiritual things- otherwise we are “hostile to God”!  Hostile means antagonistic, unfriendly, non-receptive.   We cannot please God if our mind is set on the flesh. 

Yesterday I had some trials and difficulties and as the day progressed I found myself wallowing in self- pity.   Now self-pity is quite obviously a mindset that is focused on flesh.  As I pondered this I realized that in the big picture of life- God had allowed the trials and difficulties so if I reacted in a negative way- ultimately my negative reaction was directed at God since He is Sovereign over-all and He allowed it to happen to me. 

I had never viewed self-pity as being hostile to God but it is easy to see that it is a focus on the flesh.