How do you handle it?

One of my favorite sayings is with much distance comes much resistance. Basically, it means to me that in separating ourselves from tempting things, the distance builds a strong resistance to the source of the temptation.

One thing I am finding in this theory is that distance from your temptation can't be fueled by fear.  In that case, the distance creates more harm than good.  For instance, I love avocados.  After tasting my son-in-laws homemade avocado dip and a mountain of chips, I was in like with the avocado.  Now...I want it, a lot.  I love the taste of it.  I also know that avocado is a good healthy fat and I know that I can allow the avocado as a healthy eating option.  

I have to train myself to control my want for it and only eat it in measured portions. 

Otherwise, I will go falling head-over-heels for it.  

I can't allow myself to go head over heels over food...again.  Not avocado, not chocolate, not any foods that will tempt me back into disobedience. 

No, I won't go back there.  

Not because I know it's not a healthy path for me to take.  That is true; it is not a healthy option for me.  But every time avocado dip steps up to the dance floor and asks me if I would like to participate I have to consider the costs.  I have to.  That's the way I reason food now.  Is it fuel for my body or is it a pleasure and comfort?

In a moment’s notice, my heart feels like I could go back to my former ways.

  

"Comfort is the one thing you cannot get by looking for it.  If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end:  if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth--only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin with and, in the end, despair ”C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity.

There has to be a point that I say no to sin.  I have to put distance between me and my wanting-avocado-ways.  I will do everything I can to keep a safe distance, building resistance, from those dangerous temptations.  This distance that I create for myself is giving me some food margin.  That's how I have to handle food in my mind, because I don't want to spoil the good work that God has done in my heart regarding the inappropriate love of food above Him.

So knowing the temptations I will guard my mind and heart against what is the doing the tempting or the alluring.  When the door of temptation swings wide open and gives me an offer, the opportunity for obedience is gently present.  Food will always be a violent assault on my senses.  The hinge, the catalyst, for my action towards temptation is called resistance.

It really doesn't have to be this complicated does it?  How do you handle temptations?

Deep stuff Monday…

What Does Logic Have To Do With It?

I ran into an old friend and we caught up on each other's family news.  I was really behind on hers.  They are adopting twins from the Phillipines.  I heard her exciting and amazing "only-God-opens-doors-like-this" story.  What I noted from our conversation was the hardest part of the process for their family.  It was allowing their minds catch up with their hearts of obedience.  

We talked about God's obvious opportunities, as she was giving God all the glory about how the plan worked out perfectly.  But in the middle of it all...

Their adoption circumstances looked too hard.  She had support, she had prayers, she cried out to God to make it clear and she had thrown out many fleeces.  She wanted to be that sure that this was the right path that God wanted them to go.

I got to thinking about how we seek God's best, we want to do His will.  Sure, we want that!  That is....what we want...right?  Don't we all want to throw out our fleeces and ask God to answer our fleece prayer exactly?  Yes, yes we do....

I believe God does just that.  But our minds get bogged down with logic or reasoning that we simply can't accept.  We tell ourselves that obedience has to be hard and then our resolve to obey becomes stubborn.  Our own logic becomes the limitation that sets our heart's obedience.  

We just need to say "yes" and He takes care of the rest.

God is a creative God and He will lead us through our problems or tell us how to fix our problems.  His simple answers to our daily conundrums and big life decisions require simple obedience and most times, we stumble over that.    

Who said obedience had to be so hard?  Following God shouldn't be complicated.  If we follow what God truly has led or asked us to do, then he won't leave us in the middle of His calling to let us figure it all out for ourselves.  

God knows the end before he brings us our beginnings.  

It's wise to let God engage our logic with His plans. 

God's grace is compelling and engaging.  Grace captivates the matters of the heart. Grace facilitates simple obedience.  Obedience is our expression of love to God.  Our love responses are fueled as we allow God's love logic to lead. 

"And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love." ~ 2 John 1:6