I WILL ARISE

Micah 7:8 Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; when I fall, I will arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me.

During my “Return to health” journey, I have found so many spiritual applications.  I really believe God put calories into all the “tempting” foods to help us practice discipline.  When we do, we feel victorious, when we given in to temptation, we feel the consequences of our lack of discipline.

After a week of travel, family, late night eating, lack of exercise and WEDDING CAKE, my body doesn’t feel so good.  I am tired with no energy, my stomach hurts and I want a donut with my coffee BUT, I am too far on my journey to let a curve in the road turn me back to the old habits. 

YEP, that’s usually what has happened.  I am walking happily down the road to health and I go on vacation or a holiday happens, maybe it is a birthday party or a wedding.  I indulge, wish I hadn’t, then, think one more day won’t hurt…but it does because that one day turns into two days, then a week and suddenly 5 years later, I have walked back further than my starting point.

Isn’t that just like the Spiritual Journey in our relationship with God?  We are walking with joy and faith, following God and all of a sudden we hit a curve, stub our toe on a rock or step in a hole and stumble; maybe even fall.  Jesus doesn’t keep walking ahead as we struggle to regain our footing.  No, He stands there with His hand extended to lift us up and guide us back to the smooth path. 

SO WHAT HAPPENS?  Sometimes the “stumble” is a hurt that is hard to forgive.  Perhaps you get tired and just sit down to rest for a little while.  You finally wake up only to find everyone has left you behind and you’re not sure how to get going again.  Maybe it is a temptation that you give in to and think, “Just one more time then I’ll repent.”  That one day turns into another, the temptation turns into “full-blown” sin and you realize you are in dangerous, unfamiliar territory that pulls you further away from God.  You feel God dealing with your heart; you know what you need to do but you think, “I don’t know if I can.”  “What will people think?”  “Will they condemn me; always remember I failed?”  “What if I repent, then, stumble again?”  “Maybe I can CONTROL this sin and “taper” off, then repent and get it right.”

STOP!!!! You CANNOT control sin no more than I can control my craving for sugar.  TODAY WILL BE SUGARLESS and so will tomorrow and the next day.  I will finally get victory over the sugar as I put good things into my body, washing the toxins out.  If you want to get victory over the temptations along your spiritual journey, you CANNOT slowly taper down on giving into the lure of sin…You have to go COLD TURKEY!!!!

It begins to saying NO to sin and YES to God’s forgiveness.  Then you take the hand that God extends and allow Him to fill you with the goodness of His Spirit and wash away the toxins of sin.  It is true; YOU CANNOT DO THIS, BUT GOD CAN!!!  

We have no idea what each day holds for us, so don’t put repentance off for another day.  When we come to God in true repentance and let His Grace cover us, there is no irreparable damage that sin can do…God will restore us with His righteousness and we will once again be on the path to Spiritual Healthiness.

Praying for you as you make the decision to have a SUCCESSFUL DAY IN GOD!