Years ago, I went through a season where I was more fatigued and run down than usual. I struggled with feeling tired and more unmotivated than usual. I was experiencing headaches and a list of other symptoms. I simply remember feeling unproductive during that time.
My husband and I prayed for wisdom for what to do and we felt God was leading me to see a nutritionist/pharmacist/doctor’s assistant. She was very good at being able to discover what was the root cause, or problem, instead of just simply masking it with another medication. So, I met with her and after some blood testing, I simply found out that I had reason to be fatigued! After having four children so close together with close pregnancies and child-rearing to little ones, I was drained of some serious nutrition! I was deficient in Vit B, C and D and was very low in iron. No wonder I was so tired and felt unproductive!
After she started me on some vitamin supplements, I couldn’t believe how much better I felt! My body now had what it needed in order to be productive once again. I won’t tell you that I always had all the energy I wanted…but it sure helped when I was faithful in taking the supplements like I was supposed to! :)
When I was studying 2 Peter 1 this week, it brought back memories of that time in my life. Paul is talking about how God has given us everything we need for living a Godly life. But he instructs us on how important it is to supplement that faith with some very healthy and key things. This is just how it is in our physical bodies. We may get what we need through eating healthy foods, but it can be very helpful to supplement with some good vitamins to increase our health. Here’s what Peter tells us:
2 Peter 1:3-11 (NLT), “By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
5 In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
8 The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.
10 So, dear brothers and sisters,- work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things and you will never fall away. 11 Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
If we want to be more productive and useful in our spiritual lives, (and I know I sure want to be!) Peter tells us very clearly what we need in order to supplement our lives and grow.
1. Moral excellence-living our lives with excellent morals!
2. Knowledge-how do we gain this? Getting into God’s word and/or Christian books that will help us grow!
3. Self-control-learning when to say ‘no!’-to things that are dragging us down and slowing our productiveness. (food choices, over spending, unhealthy relationships, gossip, lack of priorities)
4. Patient endurance-when we are going through our daily drudges, endure-push through-don’t give up!
5. Godliness-how do we do this? Fill ourselves with more of God and His truths!
6. Brotherly affection-showing others a caring heart through our actions. (serving!)
7. Love (love, love and love!)
These actions do not come automatically, they require hard work. They are not optional either; we must make them a part of our Christian life. But, we don’t have to attain this on our own-God empowers us and enables us! But just like it was my responsibility to take my vitamin supplements, we also have a responsibility to learn and to grow.
I know that I want to be productive and useful for God and His kingdom…so I am off to supplement!
Love ya!
Stephanie
"A life frittered away disgusts God; he loves those who run straight for the finish line." Proverbs 15.9 (MSG)
The other day as I was reading through the fifteenth proverb, I came across a verse in The Message that stuck out to me. One that places the words "disgust" and "God" in the same sentence. If that doesn't make you perk up and listen, I don't know what does?!
Before I read the above verse, it was actually a thought that was already stirring in my heart. This idea that God could take me at any moment, and how to make my moments count. Not in a morbid way, but in an eternal perspective kind of way. I'm sure you can relate to me when I say that when I stand before God, I want to hear the words, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."
What does this mean for us? I want to encourage you to take a few moments to truly examine your life and wonder how you're making the most out of the days God is giving you. To perhaps let is settle in that we were made to live everyday with an eternal perspective.
It's always intriguing to look at the life of Jesus. And if we did, we would see a man with an agenda. Everything he did had purpose. Every moment he had he made count. Jesus was a man who lived with an eternal perspective.
I'm inspired by my Savior to do the same. I don't want to walk through the fire at the end of my life and see that most things I did were consumed in the fire because they had no eternal value. Don't you want the same?
It's a simple message today. One I hope would inspire you to live with the end in mind. In fact, right now I want you to ask yourself, "How will I make this day count." Go ahead, think about how you can impact your world today for the Kingdom of God. We ALL have a purpose that God wants to work out through us. Be available and purposeful for that to happen. Have an agenda.
Many times in Scripture we are challenged to run the race...to strain ahead...with perseverance...and throwing off everything that so easily entangles us. Do that today. And everyday ahead. Run this race to the finish line with all you got sister!
Category:
encouragement,
proverbs
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Good morning girls! Sorry it's been a while since I've stopped in to say "hello" and write. I've been missing it but life has been so full of sport camps, vacation, baseball, 4 H and all of the other great summer treats!
I recently read this devotional from a women's magazine I receive and just knew I had to share with all. It was such a great reminder for me....and knew you'd all enjoy and be challenged yourselves!
"Here in Colorado the meteorologists really earn their pay. Ours may be the only state where you use the heater and the air conditioner in the same day--or even in the same hour. Colorado's weather can change faster than a menopausal woman's emotions. Which gets me to my thought for today . . .
As women, we have more impact on the emotional temperature of our homes than anyone else. After all, "If Momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy."
Our challenge is to take on the role of thermostat, not thermometer. A thermometer merely reflects the temperature in the room. It may be emotionally chilly because two family members are disagreeing. It may show temperatures rising when one explodes in anger against another. A thermometer is a passive instrument of measurement. It doesn't change the environment--it reveals it.
A thermostat, on the other hand, is an active tool. If it's too warm in the room, lower the thermostat. If it's too chilly, raise the thermostat. The thermostat changes the environment of the home.
As wives and mothers, we have the ability, if we choose to accept it, to regulate the emotional temperature in our homes, with God's help. Let's step up to that proactive role today, asking Him for the grace to be thermostats, not thermometers." (Marcia Washburn)
So, after reading that, where do you see yourself lately? Are you being a thermostat or a thermometer?
The amazing truth about this devotional is that we see that we can choose our way of regulating it! We don't just have to let our emotions and feelings rule us.
Galations 6:16 says, "So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves." Our sinful nature is going to tend to become impatient, unkind and unlovely during those real challenging times! We can't change on our own. We need the Holy Spirit to guide us each and every minute of our days. When we feel our thermometer rising...pause, take a deep breath and ask God to send his stregnth, patience and wisdom. We have the choice to choose the temperature-what are you going to choose today?
Love,
Stephanie
I recently read this devotional from a women's magazine I receive and just knew I had to share with all. It was such a great reminder for me....and knew you'd all enjoy and be challenged yourselves!
"Here in Colorado the meteorologists really earn their pay. Ours may be the only state where you use the heater and the air conditioner in the same day--or even in the same hour. Colorado's weather can change faster than a menopausal woman's emotions. Which gets me to my thought for today . . .
As women, we have more impact on the emotional temperature of our homes than anyone else. After all, "If Momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy."
Our challenge is to take on the role of thermostat, not thermometer. A thermometer merely reflects the temperature in the room. It may be emotionally chilly because two family members are disagreeing. It may show temperatures rising when one explodes in anger against another. A thermometer is a passive instrument of measurement. It doesn't change the environment--it reveals it.
A thermostat, on the other hand, is an active tool. If it's too warm in the room, lower the thermostat. If it's too chilly, raise the thermostat. The thermostat changes the environment of the home.
As wives and mothers, we have the ability, if we choose to accept it, to regulate the emotional temperature in our homes, with God's help. Let's step up to that proactive role today, asking Him for the grace to be thermostats, not thermometers." (Marcia Washburn)
So, after reading that, where do you see yourself lately? Are you being a thermostat or a thermometer?
The amazing truth about this devotional is that we see that we can choose our way of regulating it! We don't just have to let our emotions and feelings rule us.
Galations 6:16 says, "So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves." Our sinful nature is going to tend to become impatient, unkind and unlovely during those real challenging times! We can't change on our own. We need the Holy Spirit to guide us each and every minute of our days. When we feel our thermometer rising...pause, take a deep breath and ask God to send his stregnth, patience and wisdom. We have the choice to choose the temperature-what are you going to choose today?
Love,
Stephanie
Category:
challenge,
encouragement
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