How do you find balance between living in the flesh, and living in spirit?

Question

I try my hardest not to get too weighed down by the 2 but I want to find a good balance. I don't want to be so consumed by my carnivoristic habits that it kills my spiritual side, but I don't want to be so consumed in the spiritual world that is makes me feel alienated from the rest of the secular world. I like to go out on occassion and grab a beer, I cannot deny looking at beautiful women, and once in a blue moon, I can go through a bout of gluttony, but I really hate being consumed by the 3. It tends to suppress my reliance on God. I know it is a strange question. Thank you if you could help.

Answer 1

Always be sensitive to God and then also others who may either judge you or feel justified to also indulge themselves.

Also, before we go there, let's make it clear what we are talking about from Romans 8:1-14 I had to include quite a bit here

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who don't walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death. For what the law couldn't do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh; that the ordinance of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the 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. For the mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace; because the mind of the flesh is hostile towards God; for it is not subject to God's law, neither indeed can it be.
Those who are in the flesh can't please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if it is so that the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if any man doesn't have the Spirit of Christ, he is not his.
If Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if you live after the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are children of God.

Answer 2

I don't think it's a strange question at all. I think all of us struggle with being in the world, but not of the world. That's what this life is all about, we are to learn (through experience) to choose God over Mammon/Man, the World. The closer we are to being of the world/worldly the less we rely on God. The more we rely on God, the less we are of the world. People want to find balance between the two, but that isn't what God wants for us. He wants us to choose Him, but He will not force us to. It must be our choice to follow Him. We must love Him more than ANYTHING or ANYONE else. I had an LDS Temple President tell me once, so many people want to have "one hand on the temple and the other out in the world." You can't sit on the fence for ever. At some point you have to choose - Do you rely on the arm of God? or Do you rely on the arm of flesh? I'm not there yet, but I want to rely on the arm of God. I had another friend tell me, what matters in the grand scheme of things is what direction you are headed. Are you headed toward God, or away from Him? On the straight and narrow path that leads to God, you are never standing still. You are either making progress toward God, or you're backsliding away from Him, but there is a rod along the path that can help stop the backsliding and help you progress toward God. That rod is the scriptures. There's a song that says, "The iron rod is the Word of God, 'tis strong and bright and true."

Does all of this mean you can't ever go out with friends? No, it doesn't. It just means that instead of going to a bar or some place where temptation can/has gotten the best of you, you make a different choice. Choose to do something else with friends, something that doesn't put you in the path of temptation. When you find that you have done something you know you shouldn't have, do what you can to not repeat it and ask forgiveness. The path to return to Heavenly Father will not be easy, but it will be worth it. It doesn't mean you won't have hardship, or get tested every step of the way, because you will. Following Heavenly Father is a consious choice and Satan will do his best to get you to veer off course. Be diligent, and keep your eyes on the "prize" (returning to Heavenly Father) and you will be ok.

Answer 3

you are human theres no balance just torment, i see your a guy, and being that; your wired to be attracted to the oppisite sex and thats normal, as far as the beer goes one with a meal is no big deal either, gluttony weather your a religeous person or not its ok to eat alot just be responsible, this is how everybody is wired, your forgetting the fact that god knows your strife in life and your inability to have control over certain feelings and habits, otherwise sending his son here was for nothing, bottom line be responsible don't abuse things, here are 3 principles to live by,, 1 honer,,,2 integrity,,, and 3 accountabilty,,, if you can live by those values then everything spiritual will fall into place,

Answer 4

There is no balance.

But, if you rely totally on God, live spiritually, God will provide for your physical needs. A Christian is supposed to be transformed by the renewing of his mind. That means as you get to know God, he'll help you overcome sin.

And here's a suggestion that may help: Do some research about who God is, and what sin is. I think you're misunderstanding it a little. Not everything that is physical is sin. But there are spiritual boundaries established for physical behaviors.

Answer 5

You are looking at life the wrong way, i would have to say that to find the balance you just need to find out what makes you happy. Within reason, of corse, like... if you feel happy killing people, don't be angry when you're killed or thrown in jain yourself. Many people are so conflicted because they think that they're balance between flesh and spirit have to be what everyone elses is, it doesn't. You just have to find what works for you. If you choose to believe in a god, then don't make it a god that hampers you from having a fun life here on earth, trust me, i don't think your suffering on earth is worth the promis of some after life that everyone sees as some different thing.

Answer 6

Here is just about the only help that I can give you. There are only TWO camps. God's' and Satan's. God' is SPIRITUAL, and Satan's is WORLDLY. CHOOSE! Ether you love the one and hate the other. If God the seek Him as one who prizes victory and salvation enough to agonize, persevere, and plead for it, and you will obtain it, or do what you have been doing and receive the reward of Satan. It is your choice.

Answer 7

There is no balance. You are either in the flesh or in the Spirit. If you live after the flesh, then you will die. If you live after the Spirit, then you will live. Read Romans chapter 8 in its entirety.

Answer 8

Wow so someone else in the world does have the same problem as I! Can't really help because I'm kinda dealing with the same thing right now.

Answer 9

Pray everyday and ask for forgiveness daily. I thank God for creating the beautiful women.

Answer 10

I know how you feel. The answer is to always live by the spirit. But I for one do find it difficult. Good for us that we have the lord Jesus who took our punishment for us.