I end this relationship series discussing the main reason we struggle in our walk to righteousness; ourselves.
What kind of relationship do you have with yourself? I know this subject is big business in today’s day; ‘self-help, self-love, minds-eye-visualization to a better you’. We read books about how to love ourselves better, how to talk ourselves out of negative mindsets, and that is great. Self-awareness is extremely important. But did you know that the relationship you have with yourself matters so much more not only because “you were made for more” but because you were created BY GOD?
You are His direct masterpiece. Growth is still necessary to build toward a life dedicated to the Creator but you were made on purpose, so you matter. The trouble is we tend to get in our own way most of the time.
Our Thoughts
Do you think you look pretty? Do you think you’re a kind person? Do you believe you matter? Do you feel invisible? Do you hurt in silence? Do you question your existence? Do you think you came into the wrong family or the wrong generation?
Did you know that our thought-life is the main attack the devil has against us?
Did you know that it only takes a small subtle idea or thought for the devil to set up shop in the field of our thoughts?
Think of this, do you ever stop and think about what you are thinking about or do you simply receive every thought that crosses your mind? Do you stop to think about the source of the thought? Do you not wonder if the darkness you are experiencing is something your mind developed on its own accord? I know, that sounds like dangerous waters I’m stepping into but give it a really long thought. Are you actually not seeing a way out or has all your negative self-talk blocked out all the light on you?
The Feels
Our emotions show up every day in our lives and there are plenty of times the Bible warns us of this. We get too comfortable feeling something and walking in it. We feel mad so we yell, we feel embarrassed so we shame people, we feel powerless so we hit or try and take on control of things/people.
We allow our feelings to dictate the direction our day takes. Someone cuts us off while driving so we show up to work in a “mood” and share our “story” with others. We forgot to eat and we allow our crankiness to dictate our response with others. We feel tired so we put people off with our careless attitude towards them.
Our emotions can be a great tool for us to know when something is amidst but ultimately our goal should be noticing the way we feel and ask if it falls in line with the way God intended for you to live. They’re not there for us to blindly follow their every whim.
Bad Habits
Oh our bad habits. How much they control our daily lives without us even realizing it.
We fall slaves to our bad habits every single day and this, along with our thoughts, is extremely hard to get a handle on but so important in our walk with God.
What the Bible means when it asks us to die to our flesh daily. To surrender our day and everything that happens over to God. To take every step in our day with Gods plan and purpose in mind. Being mindful of making choices that fall in line with a life only God can give you.
Procrastination, tardiness, laziness, indifference about life, animals, the planet, overeating, making excuses for not doing what you know you should be doing, even to something as simple as not wanting to go to bed at a reasonable time, not wanting to do your homework or study, not wanting to pick up litter you see in your path (not because you dropped it but because you care for the world your Lord created).
Bad habits run our lives and plenty of times the reason your life isn’t changing is because your habits are holding you back from the life you could have in the Lord.
It may seem small and insignificant but to God everything has a purpose so every detail matters and though He can provide internal encouragement to get you through this, somethings you must take responsibility for and put your part in.
Only when you walk out in faith (in what is not yet seen) will you see God step in and do the rest.
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