[I may or may not be blogging right now as a way to avoid picking up the eggs Noah flew on the floor this morning during breakfast...that can wait, right?]
In church you always hear,"You need to do your quiet times!" For those that have not grown up in Protestant church, this entails reading the Bible, praying, and spending "time with God". I've never been the best about this. I know I'm supposed to do them but something always seemed more interesting than spending even just five or ten minutes reading the Bible. You know like facebook, the TV, to-do's...you get the idea.
Why is it so hard for Christians to remain faithful in reading the Bible? Maybe it seems kinda boring? In this day and age it is one of the few things that isn't actively jumping out to entertain us like the TV and internet does. Maybe because it can be kinda convicting? Reading the Bible a lot of times reveals places in our heart and mind that aren't fully committed to Christ - places where we aren't doing what God wants from us.
If I was to be brutally honest, I think the biggest reason I wasn't always faithful in spending time with God each morning is that I didn't feel like I really HAD to, to get through the day. My days were actually pretty OK without doing it.
Now looking back at who I was just six or seven months ago, I'm so embarrassed. The prideful attitude I had towards my coworkers, the things I thought and said about myself to my friends, the way I sometimes treated Brad- none of that reflected Christ, or how He wants me to live. So while I thought I was "OK" without getting into scripture every morning- my heart, words, and life didn't line up with how Jesus instructs us to live.
Today is a different story. I can barely get through a day without first opening the Bible. The fear of dying of this disease essentially overtakes my heart and thoughts if I don't lay it all down at Jesus' feet, every. single. morning.
The scripture from today's devotional was this:
It's the perfect verse for me today. It's so neat how the Holy Spirit is able to speak through the scripture to help you with the burden you have today.
My challenge to Christians reading this blog, is to learn this lesson without being faced with a life-threatening trial yourself. Dig into God's Word- it will change your heart, your day, and ultimately, your life.
In church you always hear,"You need to do your quiet times!" For those that have not grown up in Protestant church, this entails reading the Bible, praying, and spending "time with God". I've never been the best about this. I know I'm supposed to do them but something always seemed more interesting than spending even just five or ten minutes reading the Bible. You know like facebook, the TV, to-do's...you get the idea.
Why is it so hard for Christians to remain faithful in reading the Bible? Maybe it seems kinda boring? In this day and age it is one of the few things that isn't actively jumping out to entertain us like the TV and internet does. Maybe because it can be kinda convicting? Reading the Bible a lot of times reveals places in our heart and mind that aren't fully committed to Christ - places where we aren't doing what God wants from us.
If I was to be brutally honest, I think the biggest reason I wasn't always faithful in spending time with God each morning is that I didn't feel like I really HAD to, to get through the day. My days were actually pretty OK without doing it.
Now looking back at who I was just six or seven months ago, I'm so embarrassed. The prideful attitude I had towards my coworkers, the things I thought and said about myself to my friends, the way I sometimes treated Brad- none of that reflected Christ, or how He wants me to live. So while I thought I was "OK" without getting into scripture every morning- my heart, words, and life didn't line up with how Jesus instructs us to live.
Today is a different story. I can barely get through a day without first opening the Bible. The fear of dying of this disease essentially overtakes my heart and thoughts if I don't lay it all down at Jesus' feet, every. single. morning.
The scripture from today's devotional was this:
"But my eyes are FIXED on you, O Sovereign Lord, in YOU I take refuge- do not give me over to death." - Psalms 141:8
It's the perfect verse for me today. It's so neat how the Holy Spirit is able to speak through the scripture to help you with the burden you have today.
My challenge to Christians reading this blog, is to learn this lesson without being faced with a life-threatening trial yourself. Dig into God's Word- it will change your heart, your day, and ultimately, your life.
Amen! Thank you, Ashleigh, for opening your heart and sharing with all of us. What a beautiful scripture to hold in our hearts and minds. As always, praying for you often. ~Carrie B
ReplyDeleteHi Ashleigh, just saw this article and thought of you, in case it applies! http://www.nbcnews.com/health/cancer/breast-cancer-cocktail-buys-more-year-life-n308426
ReplyDeleteThis is awesome news for HER2+. I know a lot of ladies benefitting immensely from this drug. Need some new stuff for triple negative!
DeleteI absolutely love hearing updates from you. You are such an inspiration to me. I admire the heck out of you, even though I don't actually know you. Praying for you and your family.
ReplyDeleteThis made me smile. :-)
DeleteThank you for this precious ounce of perspective. If I am brutally honest, many times my daily life doesn't reflect a constant desperate need for Jesus, like you said. Matt 14 is a vivid reminder that we must keep our eyes firmly fixed upon the One who keeps us afloat. If, like Peter, we focus on our surrounding circumstances, and loose sight of the Lord, we will quickly begin sinking beneath the waves. However, by keeping our eyes firmly and consistently fixed on God, we can live miraculously! Thank you for this devo!!!
ReplyDelete