Maintaining THE STANDARD: The Spotlight of Holiness

Standard: Archetype, barometer, benchmark, or pattern. As I reflect back I can remember a time in my life when I did not struggle with certain things, because I had no standard in regards to those things. The turning point in my life came when I made a conscious decision to begin pursuing after a Godly(righteous) standard of living. If someone does not have a standard for their body, then it becomes acceptable for them to do all sorts of inferior (ungodly) things with/to their body. If someone does not have a standard in regards to commitment, then it becomes acceptable to them when they fail to commit to their wife, education, children, job, church, God etc. I now realize that wherever there is a standard (i.e. godly standard, holiness) there is a struggle (internal battle) to maintain that standard.

Struggling is not a sin but rather a process. Allowing the process to defeat you and to cause you to miss the mark(standard) of God is when sin has entered in. The process is meant to strengthen us and not destroy us. Now that I have standards in regards to my lifestyle I realize that there is an inspiration(force) that continually wars against that standard. Ever since I made a conscious decision to follow after the standards of God it seems as if a spotlight has been shined. It seems as if demons that were once sleeping are now wide awake. Eyes that were not concerned with my lifestyle before are now watching my lifestyle like telescopes watch stars. People that were not concerned with what came out of my mouth before are now listening like never before. Is the standard for your lifestyle inferior (ungodly) or superior (godlike) ???