The Friends We Choose.....

This thought has me a little twisted up, but felt the need to share.

This morning in Sunday School, our teacher touched briefly on some old testament history. He mentioned that 'back in the day', when a King didn't like what a prophet foretold, he would often go find a different prophet that would tell him what he wanted to hear. Sounds funny and silly, doesn't it?!!

Well...that made me think. Yea, I know. Happens every once in a while. I started thinking about how we today surround ourselves with people that will tell us what WE want to hear too. We don't necessarily think of our friends as 'prophets', but don't we tend to gravitate toward people that do/say/think similarly to ourselves?

So this isn't always a bad thing, right? No, but it can be. I'm thinking of 'at church'....maybe even (yep) at the church I attend. As a Christian, I may feel as though something I do is fine, it's just a little bitty sin. Surely lots of other people feel the same way. And it's really ok....I mean...it's not really a sin. Maybe this itty bitty sin is GOSSIP. I'll bet that the friends that I keep, especially those at church, ALSO believe that gossip is just an itty bitty sin. So here I am, at church, with my church friends, and we're all having a blast gossipping. It's fun, and we're all doing it, and we're all good church-going people, so it's all ok! Woohoo!! Therein lies my point.

Here's the part that has me twisted up. 15 years ago, that itty bitty sin for me was drinking. I stayed the pious, quiet, sweet little girl at church until others that shared the same itty bitty sin bubbled up around me and *POOF*! Guess who my church friends suddenly were?? We were all good little Christians at church but our afterhours fun probably didn't qualify at good, healthy Christian living. BUT...a couple of these friends have turned out to be my most beloved friends in the world!! Interestingly, we've all pretty well moved past those partying days, kids and old age will do that and maybe if we hadn't we all wouldn't still be such good friends. Either way, I can't feel TOO badly about our becoming friends initially because I love these ladies like sisters.

My eyes are open though.....gotta watch how I congregrate and who I choose to surround myself with. I need to make sure that those that I choose don't just happen to be people that support my bad habits. Not that I have any. Not even little bitty ones.

The Proof of Discipline - Part Two

So, back to seeing the 'proof' that I'm succeeding in DISCIPLINE around quiet time, prayer and overall time with the Lord. Number 2 on my list was:

2) The numbers on the scale will be smaller.

This one took a little longer to figure out....but I think I have. In exercise, as I am determined and disciplined, I end up weighing less. The numbers on the scale DO get smaller. It's all about weight, right??

So, I'll know that I'm being disciplined in my walk with God when 'other' weights in my life diminish. First, the weight of sin. Part of my daily discussions with God are me pleading with Him to make the sinful areas of my like REALLY evident. Clearly, when I'm jealous or think something that's downright mean, I recognize that easily and ask God to take that from me immediately. But its the other stuff, the small and seemingly insignificant things, that are more difficult to see. Sometimes it's the ABSENCE of things, like when I have an opportunity to be caring or helpful and I turn the other way. Another 'weight of sin' measure is how much I'm letting my sin weigh my down. Am I distracted by guilt? Holding on to sins of the past? At one time, yes. But as I get to know and understand my saviour more I stand in the confidence of His promise to forgive. As God unshackles me from these chains, I'm free to chase after what He wants me to chase after.

Second, the weight of worry and anxiety. Ever feel helpless because you CAN NOT stop worrying about 'her diagnosis' or 'his job'? Maybe it's your kids, your parents or your own relationships? Ps 127:2 says: "It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for He gives to His beloved sleep." We don't have to worry and be anxious, rather we simply need to trust in the one who made us, who loves us, who cares for us ALWAYS. So, am I weighed down by worry and anxiety? NOT ONE BIT. Again, the more I get to know my Heavenly Father, the more I live out my determined purpose to KNOW him, the more weight I can shed.

So, do I have this 'discipline' thing down? No...not yet. Am I making progress? Absolutely! For as long as we are walking the path with Jesus our destination will be sure and true.

Wondering what Part Three will bring!

The Proof of Discipline

WOW - I am sore this morning. As I hobbled through the house early this morning, feeling my hamstrings tighten with every step and my shoulders call out for mercy, I thought about MY ONE WORD....discipline.

One of my desires around discipline is to continue exercising, to continue shedding extra pounds and unwanted jigglies in certain places.

My 'a-ha!!' moment then today is that I KNOW that I am succeeding in this area because I have proof in these ways:

1. I grunt and groan with each step because I've really worked hard lately
2. The scale shows smaller numbers
3. My clothes fit better (or I need new ones)

So, my thoughts have turned to what "proof" I'll experience that I'm being disciplined in my quiet times, my Bible reading and my prayer life. What's the equivalent of my short term "grunts and groans" from a couple of tough work outs and my longer term "weight loss / fitter body"? Could they somehow be the same? Let's see.

1. I grunt and groan with each step because I've worked really hard lately

I've already seen that as I'm more disciplined in reading God's word more and spending more time in prayer, that my shortfalls, my sins, my opportunities (that's the business spin of the word 'challenges') are way more apparent. I've asked God to point out areas in which I need to work on or rid from my life and He's not run out of them yet. So, perhaps the proof of my discipline in this area IS grunting and groaning as I'm made aware of my behavioral muscles that need work. Also, as I work on those 'opportunities' (I love that word!), it does HURT in similar ways because I'm being stretched and pushed to change some things.

I'll be back later to see if points 2 and 3 are applicable as well. Happy Thursday!