1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ESV Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
It’s important to have meaningful life-giving fellowship with others, this brings the much-needed warmth in times of difficulty and the safety net of accountability that helps one grow in spiritual maturity. It’s even a blessing to gather in the house of the Lord to worship Him and seek His face and to pursue Him with likeminded believers. Nevertheless, unless we acknowledge that we are the temple of God and fan the flame of His spirit within us all the church attendance is in vain. We are the temple of the living God and we have ensured we live lives that allows His spirit not to be grieved so that He can live and remain in us.
Carelessness and spiritual apathy harden our hearts and cloud our spiritual discernment and sensitivity. Mingling with worldly people and engaging with worldly activities causes one to backslide as the spiritual impact on the heart is detrimental. It causes us to quench the zeal for intimacy with God, it makes us earthly minded, no longer satisfying our yearning and desires with heavenly things, but responding with our carnal natural man seeking solutions and hope in temporal created things and people that don’t deliver, often leaving us even more thirsty and don’t satisfy.
Let us not deceive ourselves with such an important and delicate issue, worldly people are not just unbelievers, often times the people that have the greatest impact of dampening our initial fervour towards the things of God are doubleminded Christian who have yet to be surrendered to God and now become a stumble block to those in the way to salvation. So, we may go to a physical church, but we still need to be watchful, we still need to guard our heart. The spirit of this world will limit and restrain the spirit of God working actively within us. So even when we desire in this state of spiritual coldness and apathy, to connect with God it is as if our spirit man is imprisoned and immobilised. The desire within us for the things of God is neutralised. Though we know what to do and what is required the strength to bring it about is not in us. We have given room for wild animals to destroy the temple of God through bad choices and carelessness.
Self-control and discipline by the power of the Holy Spirit is what is needed and what is essential. It’s necessary so that we are able to guard our hearts. It’s also essential so that we don’t foolishly lose our way. So that in the midst of external demands and pressures we make choices that give us the necessary room and lifestyles to nurture and tend to the temple of God within us.
Dear Heavenly Father forgive me for every way I have carelessly not guarded your gift within me. Forgive me for every way I have grieved your spirit. Lord take not your Holy Spirit away from me. I pray for wisdom and discernment that will empower me to make decisions that fan the flame of your presence in my life.
Much Love in Christ,
Your Sister,
Ruth 
Pursuing Holiness
Biblical Counsellor | Spiritual Director | Leadership Coach
