health food

"But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." - Galatians 5:22-23

We've all been schooled in abundance about proper nutrition.  As soon as we begin to apply healthier eating habits to our own lives, we can feel our bodies changing.  They function differently; we often feel lighter, more energized, and generally more positive because of our healthy choices.  What a perfect metaphor for our relationship with God.  When we grow in communion with him and invite the spirit into our lives, we can feel change creeping into our hearts and minds. 

We begin to think differently.  We start to speak differently.  What was once okay coming out of our mouths suddenly doesn't feel right.  We begin to see the world through a different lens, and this is a good thing.  Pride and self-service runs so rampant in our society, but God calls us to be everything that the people of the world are not.  

Humble.  

Tender.

Submissive.

Gentle.

Self-controlled.

Pure.

Second to others.

We can't make these changes on our own.  As humans, we let circumstances dictate our moods.  We try to take justice into our own hands.  We pass up opportunities to serve others when it inconveniences us.  Our frustrations mount and anger takes over.  We make sure to get the last word in during an argument when we should be holding our tongue.  But as we grow in communion with the Lord and our perspectives shift, we can begin to employ these fruits with the help of the holy spirit.

Feed your body healthy food - things that will nourish and fortify.  But don't forget to feed your soul - the holy spirit and the word of God will satisfy and fill a void that no chocolate bar or cup of coffee can.

Let the holy spirit work in you, and humble yourself to feel the transformative power of a renewed mind in Christ Jesus.

God's voice

"The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli.  In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions.  One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place.  The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was.  Then the Lord called Samuel.

Samuel answered, "Here I am."  And he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me."  

But Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down."  So he went and lay down.

Again the Lord called, "Samuel!"  And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me."

"My son," Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down."

Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord:  The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.

A third time the Lord called, "Samuel!"  And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me."

Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy.  So Eli told Samuel, "Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, 'Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.'"  So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel!  Samuel!"

Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."

If you're a mother, you will most certainly relate to this.  If you were ever the child of a mother or father, you will also find this scenario familiar.  How often are our children playing in another room and we call to them repeatedly, only to hear crickets on the other end?  We have to call for them several times, with a booming voice, for our presence to even register on their radar. 

Such is it, often, when God calls us.  Our ears are not attuned to his calling, and we miss out on hearing his voice.  We walk around claiming that God is silent, and some go as far as to say that God has neglected or forgotten about them.  Yet, when we draw near to God through scripture and prayer and ask to hear his voice, he is most often faithful in his communication with us.  We just have to turn the dial to the right station to get reception.

We, as Christians, have to pray for discernment.  God uses many avenues of communication to reach us.  He might use scripture, prayer, or those around us to relay his will to us.  There may be circumstances when, unbeknownst to the other person, they have the exact words you needed to hear in response to a prayer.  When we pray for the ears and the wisdom to recognize which medium he uses to speak to us, it becomes much clearer.

Ask God to reveal to you the ways in which he communicates with you, and you'll soon learn to open your mind and heart to hearing his voice.  You'll be listening much more intently when you know how to listen. 

We may never be so successful in reaching our children lost in play.  However, we can be assured that, as children of our Father, if we listen with the right ears, we will eventually hear his voice.  It may not be on our time, or what we want to hear, but we will hear the will of God from the voice of God.

"My son, if your receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God." - Proverbs 2:1-5

spiritual milk

"Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation." - 1 Peter 2:2

"Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light for my path." - Psalm 119:105

"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you." - James 1:5

If you are too busy to spend time in God's word each day, you're far busier than he ever intended you to be.

wind and waves

Matthew 8:23-27

"Then he got into his boat and his disciples followed him.  Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat.  But Jesus was sleeping.  The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us!  We're going to drown!"  He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?"  Then he got up and rebuked the wind and the waves, and it was completely calm.  The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this?  Even the wind and the waves obey him!"

During times in my life when I am overwhelmed with worry, anxiety, or fear, my first instinct is to turn to prayer.  First, I have to evaluate whether the thing I fear is something over which I have any control.  If not, I know I must immediately turn it over to the Lord.  If it's something I have the power to change, I ask for wisdom, discernment, and peace.  Often, the things we fear most never come to fruition.  When they do, we rarely have complete control over the situation.  

The serenity prayer is a wonderful resource when you can't seem to come up with the words on your own:

"God, grant me the serenity to accept 

the things I cannot change, 

the courage to change the things I can, 

and the wisdom to know the difference."  

- Reinhold Niebuhr

While you rarely have the ability to control the situation, you have an immeasurable power within you when you lay your troubles at the foot of the cross.  Saint Paul wrote to the people of Philippi while in prison - "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do all this through him who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:12-13 - emphasis mine.)  He knew the source of his strength, and turned to the Lord for endurance and provision.  Paul knew that to let his circumstances dictate how he felt would be his demise.  He trained his mind to be self-controlled, and found peace in the Lord.  

What we think in our minds is what will be.  We have to overcome this by disciplining ourselves and filtering what thoughts we allow to take up residence.  Paul also said that we are to "take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:5).  Take captive your thoughts, or they will hold you captive.  

I am reading a wonderful book right now by Max Lucado, titled Anxious for Nothing, which addresses this very subject.  If you find yourself grasping for truth during uncertain or fearful times, I highly recommend reading it.  There is another wonderful resource I recommend reading, but I'm pretty sure you already know about that one... :)

2 Timothy 1:7

"For the spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline."

Matthew 6:25-34

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.  Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not much more valuable than they?  Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?  

"And why do you worry about clothes?  See how the flowers of the field grow.  They do not labor or spin.  Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.  If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you - you of little faith?  So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'  For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  But seek first his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own."

humble pie

When I was a little girl, my mom would paint my nails from time to time.  She would take my little hand in hers and tell me to relax it.  I didn't understand the concept in the beginning, so she would lightly flop my hand up and down to get me to loosen up and go limp.  My hand needed to be malleable in hers so that she could move it the way she needed.

As I sat in church yesterday morning, it dawned on me that this is a perfect metaphor for our relationship with the Lord.  My husband and I had just had a small spat, and I was indignant in the car in the tense silence on the way to church.

I prayed, "Lord, humble me and help me to release my selfish pride."  But Satan was onto me, and countered with,

"But he snapped at you!  He's so self-righteous.  He was in the wrong, too.  Change his heart."

And I kept coming back with, "I know I need to release my anger and bitterness, Lord - change my heart."

And you know what?

The homily our priest spoke COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE PERFECT.  He discussed how we often let our moods and external circumstances color our interactions with family.  HA!  The holy spirit gave a hard blow, and I immediately thought back to when my mom would attempt to get me to relax in her hands.  Sheepishly, I praised the Lord for changing my heart and making me realize that when I was asking to be humbled, I was wallowing in my own righteous anger.

You cannot attempt to justify your sinfulness in prayer to God.  IT DOES NOT WORK.  You can't change someone else's actions or mind, but when you come to the Lord humbly, he will work in you.  We can only be responsible for our own actions, thoughts, and behavior.  We have to surrender completely and relax, giving the problem to him, so that we can get out of his way for him to do his work.  In order for him to work in us and in our lives, we must be completely malleable in his hands.  This means:

We cannot try to explain away our anger from yesterday.

We cannot say, "I'm sorry, but..."

We cannot ask for forgiveness while seething in anger about something else.

Obviously, as humans, we struggle with letting go completely and giving it to God.  I believe we need to first examine our own part in the matter, while simultaneously asking for a change of heart.  Recognize your need for God's mercy, and allow yourself to be malleable putty in his hands.  Only then will his grace abound and he can begin to work for our good in accordance with his will.

Relax your hand in his, and let the father do his job.



"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love." - Ephesians 4:2

"But he gives us more grace.  That is why Scripture says:  "God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble."" - James 4:6

"For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." - Luke 14:11

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and heal their land." - 2 Chronicles 7:14