Thursday SHINE....
Today's Reading: Romans 8
Happy Thursday, SHINE girls! How is your week going?
Ok, I am not gonna lie. It's still Wednesday as I am writing this.
Remember how I told you that my sweet love, Lem, started getting up with me in the early mornings? At 5:00 a.m.?
Well, we are now having our morning quiet time together. Which is fine. (I suppose.)
So, with this new routine, I find the best time for me to write (in the quiet) is while my children are at school.
Okay, confession time over....moving on.
Man, are we loving Romans 8 or what? I mean, seriously, half of the (2 to 3) verses that I have memorized in this little brain of mine come from Romans Chapter 8! Some good, good stuff in here, girls.
As I was at my usual Wednesday 9:15 am spinning class this morning, I had an epiphany of sorts. (i love that word--epiphany. don't you? it has a sophisticated ring to it. makes me feel smart. good thing y'all know better. )
Okay, anyway, as I was spinning on my little bike watching my friend Kelli teach the class, I heard the Lord whispering to me something.
He said this: "Your life is a whole lot like this spinning class. Isn't it?"
I look around going, "Huh? Who said that?"
He then continued with telling me that I could easily "fake" it as I sat here on this bike spinning. The only person who knows the resistance that I have the bike set on is....me. Nobody else in the whole class has a clue if I am really "working" or just looking like I am working hard.
Okay, God was on to something here.
I thought about the million times during this class that I was tired and didn't really want to push hard. I wanted an easy workout. The good thing is...nobody around me would ever know the difference. I could huff and puff, and even force a bead of sweat to come off my face. (Seriously, I can.)
So, what is there to gain by me "looking the part" and not actually "doing the work"?
Absolutely nothing.
Will just showing up and giving the bike a little easy spin help my waistline to shrink?
Nope, not one bit.
However, what happens if I do give it my all for that 35 minutes? What happens when I push even harder than the teacher tells me to push? Or, if I truly stay the course and not for one second turn that knob on the bike to the "easy" resistance?
I will see the results.
No, not immediately, but in a month or two my waist will be smaller, my legs will be firmer, and my tummy will be a little flatter.
Jackpot.
All because instead of wasting my time on "easy", I chose to do the work. I was already there anyway. Why not make my time useful?
How does this relate to our faith walk?
Here's what God was telling me:
We can go to church, read the bible, do a little bible study here and there, look the part, talk the talk....
But, are we really walking the walk?
Are we going through all the right motions, but not doing the work?
By work, I mean....keeping ourselves conditioned by:
We can look the part all day long girls. We can even make it look real, real pretty. But, what results will we see in the next month?
Absolutely nothing.
When you look at my friend, Kelli, the spinning instructor, you know she works out. You don't even have to ask her. It's obvious.
I want people to know when they see me that without a doubt--I am a Christian. I want my walk to be obvious to all who see me. I shouldn't have to wear a badge telling people I am a Christian--it should be written all over my life.
Let's dig in, girls! Let's truly do the work and start seeing the fruit from it.
It's good, good stuff.
No, it's better than good. It's the best stuff.
I know for a fact that I am in need of some serious work. I've had my bike on "easy" long enough.
Who's with me?
no more easy street,
jill
"For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power." 1 Corinthians 4:20
Happy Thursday, SHINE girls! How is your week going?
Ok, I am not gonna lie. It's still Wednesday as I am writing this.
Remember how I told you that my sweet love, Lem, started getting up with me in the early mornings? At 5:00 a.m.?
Well, we are now having our morning quiet time together. Which is fine. (I suppose.)
So, with this new routine, I find the best time for me to write (in the quiet) is while my children are at school.
Okay, confession time over....moving on.
Man, are we loving Romans 8 or what? I mean, seriously, half of the (2 to 3) verses that I have memorized in this little brain of mine come from Romans Chapter 8! Some good, good stuff in here, girls.
As I was at my usual Wednesday 9:15 am spinning class this morning, I had an epiphany of sorts. (i love that word--epiphany. don't you? it has a sophisticated ring to it. makes me feel smart. good thing y'all know better. )
Okay, anyway, as I was spinning on my little bike watching my friend Kelli teach the class, I heard the Lord whispering to me something.
He said this: "Your life is a whole lot like this spinning class. Isn't it?"
I look around going, "Huh? Who said that?"
He then continued with telling me that I could easily "fake" it as I sat here on this bike spinning. The only person who knows the resistance that I have the bike set on is....me. Nobody else in the whole class has a clue if I am really "working" or just looking like I am working hard.
Okay, God was on to something here.
I thought about the million times during this class that I was tired and didn't really want to push hard. I wanted an easy workout. The good thing is...nobody around me would ever know the difference. I could huff and puff, and even force a bead of sweat to come off my face. (Seriously, I can.)
So, what is there to gain by me "looking the part" and not actually "doing the work"?
Absolutely nothing.
Will just showing up and giving the bike a little easy spin help my waistline to shrink?
Nope, not one bit.
However, what happens if I do give it my all for that 35 minutes? What happens when I push even harder than the teacher tells me to push? Or, if I truly stay the course and not for one second turn that knob on the bike to the "easy" resistance?
I will see the results.
No, not immediately, but in a month or two my waist will be smaller, my legs will be firmer, and my tummy will be a little flatter.
Jackpot.
All because instead of wasting my time on "easy", I chose to do the work. I was already there anyway. Why not make my time useful?
How does this relate to our faith walk?
Here's what God was telling me:
We can go to church, read the bible, do a little bible study here and there, look the part, talk the talk....
But, are we really walking the walk?
Are we going through all the right motions, but not doing the work?
By work, I mean....keeping ourselves conditioned by:
- soaking ourselves in His Word daily
- praying for others
- obeying
- loving
- forgiving
- showing kindness
- taming our tongues
- keeping our hearts pure
- putting others before ourselves
- being truthful
We can look the part all day long girls. We can even make it look real, real pretty. But, what results will we see in the next month?
Absolutely nothing.
When you look at my friend, Kelli, the spinning instructor, you know she works out. You don't even have to ask her. It's obvious.
I want people to know when they see me that without a doubt--I am a Christian. I want my walk to be obvious to all who see me. I shouldn't have to wear a badge telling people I am a Christian--it should be written all over my life.
Let's dig in, girls! Let's truly do the work and start seeing the fruit from it.
It's good, good stuff.
No, it's better than good. It's the best stuff.
I know for a fact that I am in need of some serious work. I've had my bike on "easy" long enough.
Who's with me?
no more easy street,
jill
"For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power." 1 Corinthians 4:20
