Christian Living
LIFE IS A HIGHWAY
A verse in a song I heard the other day; "Life is a highway" , made me stop and think about what kind of road I am traveling through life. It's not usually a smooth highway. The paths I take in my spiritual walk are very similar to the back, country dirt roads I traverse daily.
I live in the boon-docks. It's beautiful country, but the roads leave a lot to be desired. Most of the roads have warning signs; "primitive road", "travel at your own risk", "not a county maintained road". I travel eight miles of dirt road. It's pot hole ridden, wash-boarded, curves, dips and numerous obstacles; cows, jack rabbits, wild cats, dogs, antelopes, it can be very treacherous. Not to mention if it snows or rains.
So much time is spent trying to dodge the pits and ruts, that little concentration can be given to the beauty and splendor of the scenery. That's how my physical and spiritual life tend to get. I'm so busy swerving all over the road to avoid my next pitfall, that I forget where I'm headed. Then there's my poor, beat up truck. It's usually dearly lacking in maintenance. Partly for financial reasons and partly lack of time. I don't give it the upkeep it really deserves for carrying me around all these obstacles. Or at least not until something is falling apart or breaking down, then it demands my attention, and usually money.
I hate to admit it, but I treat my physical body the same way. I get caught up in day to day survival, that I neglect the very body that harbors the spirit of God. I don't eat right, don't sleep right and basically let my health fall to pieces. Not to mention the neglect to my spiritual being. I don't spend as much time in God's word or in prayer as I should. Often I just rattle off the same old prayer and get up and go, not stopping long enough to listen to my Heavenly Father. Then, eventually, like my beat up truck, I break down too.
I get warning signals from my truck, the oil light comes on, the tire gets low, it spits and sputters. I get warning signals from Him; the consequences of my neglect start to reveal themselves and my life starts to unravel. The sowing and reaping principal comes into play. I get out of life, what I put into it. Sow little time into my walk with God, I reap little in return. Little joy, little peace, little blessings.
And I really dislike that. It's like Paul said in Romans 7:15-25, basically that I do the things I don't want to do and don't do the things I want to do or know that I should. Paul asked "who shall set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!"
It is only through Gods grace that I can be forgiven for my stupidity and shortcomings. I know these things in my heart and spirit. I know the principle of being a good steward, whether it be of my time, money or what ever God has given me. But it is so hard sometimes to just be the way I know I should be; Christ like.
Why do we have to struggle with our sinful, carnal natures? The word of God says that we fight not against flesh and blood, but against powers and principalities of this darkness, spiritual forces of wickedness.
Once in a while I go on this binge. I say to the kids, "that's it, from now on we keep this truck clean, we're going to take care of it and keep it on a regular upkeep schedule, we're going to get up earlier so I don't have to drive that road at 50, and on top of that we are getting our personal lives in order and KEEP YOUR ROOM CLEAN while your at it"... Oh I give a great lecture, get my mouth all screwed up into this stern "laying down the law" kinda face and scare everyone into submission--for about 3 days. Then it all flies out the window.
There has got to be a happy median in there somewhere! How do I find it, better yet, how do I stick with it and be consistent? Well, like most answers, they are simple and Biblical. Consistency. Repetition. Determination. Steadfastness. There are no shoulda, woulda, coulda's in the Bible. Someone once told me that if you do anything for 30 days straight it becomes habit. It's just that first 29 days that get me. It's like raising kids I think. You have to be consistent in your discipline and love. You have to be repetitious in your reminders-that doesn't mean repeatedly saying "How many times have I told you to clean this pig pen..".. It means you don't change the rules midstream. You have to be determined that what you are doing will pay off and that it has merit, worth, value.
That sounds so simple eh? It's really easy for someone else to say. Believe me, I'm talking to myself just as much at to you. Truthfully, self discipline is the hardest lesson to learn. Scripture states that we must keep our thoughts and words in check. So the beginning of finding the happy median is to pray without ceasing and to keep our minds tuned to God and His word. God promised us life and life more abundantly, not just for the future, but for the present. He wants only good for His children. Keep focused on that.
Often we get caught up in inconsequential projects or activities. We bite off more than we can chew, or say yes to too many things. If I'm staying too busy doing all these things, which granted may be important or necessary; but I'm not taking time for my self and especially time for God, than what good am I or the things I'm doing? Scripture says that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us, but that doesn't mean we have to take on everything at once. We have to take time to be refilled and revitalized by Him.
There will always be obstacles on our path of life and the highway we travel. If we travel with God as our captain and keep our focus on Him and His goals and desires for us, the path will be much easier to handle and the pot holes won't total out our "vehicle". Allow God to guide you in all your travels, keep your focus on Him.
copyright 2004 Pastor Brenda Ann Libby
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