No one can deny the importance of nutrition. Our level of
energy, our ability to cope with life's challenges, and even our mental
attitude are directly linked to the proper intake of the right foods eaten
regularly and in proper amounts.
We've all experienced times when we have not eaten a
balanced diet or we've eaten too many sweets or we've been in a hurry and
completely skipped a meal. Invariably, we have endured the consequences of
feeling sick, light-headed, and occasionally depressed, or we became irritated
and jumpy, sometimes we got a little shaky—in our family, we call that
"getting the jitters." It's the body's way of letting us know that
it's lacking nourishment. It's a fact: "optimal health requires optimal
nutrition."
The same is true spiritually speaking. Without sufficient
and regular nutrition, our inner life begins to suffer the consequences. Our
souls long to be fed, nourished, and energized on a regular basis. When we fail
to set aside time to absorb healthy spiritual food, it isn't long before the
consequences kick in . . . and it's not a pretty sight. We start to operate in
the flesh rather than under the control of God's Spirit. We get shallow and
selfish, more demanding and less gentle, quick to react impatiently, rashly,
angrily. These are all signs of inner malnutrition.
For the next few moments let's think about what's needed to
maintain a healthy level of spiritual nutrition. It isn't rocket science.
1. We need a regular diet of God's Word. Just as we
must eat each day, so we must take the time to read the Scriptures each day.
Our souls must be "nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound
doctrine" (1 Timothy 4:6).
2. We need to pray regularly. In reading the Bible, God
speaks to us; in prayer, we speak to Him. Prayer helps us realign our lives to
the Lord's timing and direction. It also shifts the load off our shoulders and
onto His. David wrote, "Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain
you" (Psalm 55:22).
3. We need time to be still, to meditate on the things
of God. Such moments of quietness calm our nerves, clear our thinking, and
enable us to refocus. After directing Joshua to structure his life around God's
truth, the Lord added, "you shall meditate on it day and night, so that
you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it" (Joshua
1:8). Tragically, meditation is a lost art of the twenty-first century. How few
truly take time to "cease striving and know that [He is] God" (Psalm
46:10). How seldom do we make deliberate plans "to do according to
all" that we have observed.
Thought for Today:
Am I truly fed or do I need to change my diet?
No comments:
Post a Comment