This week's memory verse:
"He has showed you, O man, what is good. And does the Lord require of you? To act justly, to love mercy and to wall humbly with your God." Micah 6:8
In the Bible study books that we have been using, Saturdays and Sundays are usually days of "reflection and application." If I am being honest with you, I usually skip those days. For one, on weekends, I get off my "quiet time" routine and secondly...reflection and application is hard and time consuming and sometimes painful. But...it can also be rewarding. So, I'm giving it a shot today.
This week we've been learning about acting justly, loving mercy and walking humbly with God...today we are thinking about how we can put those things to work in the 4 areas of our lives-- emotional, spiritual, mental and physical.
For me, I need to act justly in all those areas by DOING what I know is RIGHT in God's eyes...treating my daughter with love and working to control my anger; making my life more about God and less about me; continuing to make my "quiet time" a priority each morning; treating my body with respect and honor by eating right and exercising. I also have to have mercy on myself--not beat myself up when i fail...and I need to back off my daughter and quit picking at her. I need to realize that I am NOT God in anyone's life...not even my own.
Can you look at your own life and see what you need to do in those areas of your life so that you are being more obedient to God each day?
Saying those things and then actually doing them is the hard part isn't it? It seems way too hard...I have too far to go. God knows it is hard for us to live the way he wants us to. He told his people not to "despise this day of small beginnings" (Zechariah 4:10). It takes small steps to get to your big goal and you can't give up when the task looks too big.
A missionary, Hudson Taylor, once said, "A little thing is a little thing, but faithfulness in little things is a great thing." I LOVE that quote! You have to start somewhere...have faith in a God that wants you to walk WITH him...he IS there for you! I know I would not have the energy or motivation to even TRY to do the things I need and want to do if I didn't have my faith that God is there and will always be there.
Don't give up! I am not going to! When you fail at whatever you are trying to do...pick yourself up and try again. There is no limit on how many times you can start over. Have faith and begin at the beginning...small steps will get you there!
And...make time for reflection and application...it helps you figure out how to put the lessons you learn to work for you as you take another small step on your journey to a better life, whether that be a healthier you, a better relationship with your family, a better job...where ever you are going.
No comments:
Post a Comment