Survival Mode
Well, I survived yesterday (07/29/2024). And that’s the extent of it. My Daddy has been gone for two years now. It still hurts more than I can explain.
This article (Stop Eating Spiritual Candy) was shared in our church’s daily devotional email. It resonates with me because I have been focused on removing inflammation-causing foods from my daily diet for several years now. And the “bad” stuff is everywhere.
Spiritual Sugar
Much like sugar, I love to see scriptural snippets on social media, and I quickly flip through them thinking I’ve had my spiritual nourishment for the day. But that’s lazy. It’s just sugar in my spiritual diet because it isn’t telling me the whole truth.
Don’t get me wrong, those are nice memes and the sentiment is good. But we should use them as a springboard and not as an end to our consumption of God’s truth.
The author of this article states, “Weaning ourselves off nutrient-light spirituality is tough work, but as we make the daily choice to delight in the unchanging character of God, we teach ourselves to crave that which will truly satisfy. When we feel weak and choose to feast on the Word, we’re formed into people who reach for his work in our weakness and who rely on his Spirit in our want.”
I don’t want to throw out those encouraging sayings totally. So read that meme that says “You’re Strong Enough” but go to God’s word and find out why you are strong. You’ll soon see that all strength comes from Him and not within ourselves.
Read that meme that says “love is all we need.” But go to God’s word and find out what love really is. Any love (true, selfless love) we give comes from Him, not from our own doing. Believe me, my first response is not to love others, but to love myself. The only love I dish out does not come naturally (except maybe to my grandkids 😊). I’ve prayed hard over the past 20+ years to be able to love others. The only way I can do it is because God loved me first. His love and power enable me to love.
But I’ve only learned these things as I’ve gone deeper into Scripture. I take no credit for it because truthfully, it’s easier to just disengage. But that’s not how we’re supposed to live. Go deeper and discover the how and why instead of just hearing the “sweet” encouragement of a stand-alone quote or meme.
Challenge
So please join me as I “reach for His work in my weakness and turn to His word, in context… as a whole… to find love, realize my strength in Him, and live the way He desires me to live.
Cover Photo Credit: Vinicius “amnx” Amano via Unsplash.com.