What hinders me from hearing is that I am taken up with other things. It is not that I will not hear God, but I am not devoted in the right place. I am devoted to things, to service, to convictions, and God may say what He likes, but I do not hear Him The child attitude is always, "Speak Lord, for Thy servant heareth." ~ Oswald Chambers My Utmost for His Highest
All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. Romans 8:14
* The primary way God speaks to and leads me is by the Holy Spirit who indwells me.
Spend your time and energy in training yourself for spiritual fitness. Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important, for it promises a reward in both this life and the next. I Timothy 4:7-8
Those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. Romans 8:5
Hmmmm, to be strong in the Spirit, is to be built and trained in the Spirit. This requires work, practice, and time. In other words, it doesn't just come easy. It is much like the body of an athlete, it didn't just happen overnight (unfortunately, lol).
In the back of my Bible, I record things I have heard the pastor say that really speak to my heart. One of the quotes, "If Satan can't make you bad, he'll make you busy." How often I have found that statement to be true. Life can get so busy, we don't have time to spend in His word, to spend time in prayer, or to be still and know that He is God. I believe that in those moments, it is important to realize that God created time; the hours of daylight, the hours in our day. I need to realize that He is the creator of all things and I can devote time (a resource He gave me) to Him and He will reward me for it. In other words, taking time out of my day to spend with Him will not hinder my life but rather enhance my life.
Yet, at the same time, I don't think being rigid is the answer. There are times my morning prayer time turns into my evening prayer time...if someone is sick, I can't say, "Hold on, I haven't had my quiet time, yet!" haha Yet, a consistent practice of time in the word is as essential to growth as exercise and proper eating habits!
How do you keep yourself in shape?
No comments:
Post a Comment