Wanna know a terrible secret of mine?
I like french fries. What’s worse? The more salt on them, the better.
When I was pregnant with my first baby, they were my quick go-to snack when I could no longer ignore those impatient hunger cravings that came on without notice. I know, I know… super unhealthy choice. But fast food is convenient, man. Preparing healthier options took time, preparation, and intentionality, and it was honestly just easier to indulge in a moment of weakness than to plan ahead.
I got away with it for awhile. At least it seemed that way. But over the course of my pregnancy, all of those moments of weakness eventually went straight to my hips. Of course they did. Postpartum, I found myself uncomfortably weighed down by my unhealthy choices – both literally and figuratively.
I was miserable, and something had to change.
As I began to pay attention to my eating habits, I noticed that it wasn’t one huge bad decision that put me over the edge each day. Rather, it was a combination of small compromises that added up over time. A bite here. A lick there. A desensitization to the long term effects that the sum of my choices would produce over time, because I could justify my desire just this once.
In my desperation I started implementing small changes. Trust me, my body wouldn’t be transformed overnight. But as I made physical exercise and healthy eating greater priorities in my life, day by day and bite by healthy bite, I noticed that I craved those french fries less and less over time.
As I fed my body the good stuff, it got easier to leave the bad habits behind.
Taking the undisciplined, compromised road physically has its consequences. Sort of like our spiritual lives.
Sin is all around us, screaming for us to indulge.
It creeps up on us in our weakest moments.
Over time, it weighs us down and makes us all kinds of uncomfortable.
Sometimes it’s one big flop, but often it’s the seemingly small stuff that we justify because we think we can pull it off with minimal damage.
It desensitizes our convictions and tempts us to give in just this once.
It convinces us that it’s more fun to indulge in the moment than it is to invest wisely in the future.
And unfortunately for most of us, sin usually isn’t defeated overnight.
But as we make God’s Word a priority in our lives, our hearts are redirected. By God’s transforming power we crave His law more and more, and by His grace we begin to crave the things of this world less and less.
“Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me.” ~ Psalm 119:133
Reading God’s Word won’t always be convenient. It takes time, preparation, and intentionality, and is a task that will require planning and commitment every day for the rest of our lives.
But the results are oh, so satisfying.
Are you tired of settling for fast food spirituality?
Let’s fight against sin by feasting on the good stuff… together.
At His feet,
*Let’s Talk: What do YOU need to flee from in order to pursue more intimacy with God through His Word?
Staying up late at night for me keeps me from spending time in God’s word. I find that early in the morning is the only free, alert time that works for me. So I have to plan ahead.
Mary,
We will be praying for you as you make this change. I am a night owl as well, so I know how difficult this can be. But with God all things are possible. Blessings to you!
~Terria (LGG Encourager)
I’m finding difficulty getting up early enough to read Gods Word Lord knows I desire to read, study, apply, eat, drink, and sleep in Gods Word. What can I do to get better? Also I need to stop smoking I need to be set free from these chains
I need to flee from getting sidetracked by the Internet. I get caught in the web of updates, articles, and games and lose track of time and God. I end up dissatisfied and frustrated. When I spend time with God I feel peace and contentment.
Me too Stephanie!! Now that the world is a touch screen away on our phones it’s a huge distraction.
Stephanie,
I can definitely understand that. I know for me I say I’m going to look at one thing and I end up spending a hour on it. I will be praying for you as you make this change and that you are able to walk away and flee to the Lord. Have a very blessed day! (Jennifer, LGG Encourager)
I need to flee from my own busy-ness. I have great intentions to be in the Word first thing and then I get distracted…first I need to clean up the kitchen, or throw in a load of laundry, or check email and Facebook etc. and then my early morning time is gone! Wonderful reminder today. Taking psalm 119:133 with me today!!!
Sue,
I will be praying for you as you step away from busyness and into the comforting presence of God. I know how easy it is to get distracted I am the same way because I have little people that if I don’t get things done before they get up then they might not get done but one thing I have started doing is playing some worship music as soon as I get up and that calms me and then I go into the Word and I don’t think about (as much) the things I need to get done before they get up. I soak in God’s Word. I hope you have a blessed day. (Jennifer, LGG Encourager)
Thank you for your encouragement and prayer! I will definitely try your suggestion of worship music in the morning. ☺️ Thank you for your ministry here!
I totally agree!! I am a go, go, go person, and unfortunately, it isn’t usually go, go, going to God’s Word first! I tell myself that I will be able to focus better if I get this or that done first. Yeah, right. My time with God just ends up getting pushed aside. 🙁 I DO feel better when I start my day off reading God’s Word. Now, I must recommit to prioritize begin my days with God. 🙂
Sue I am the same way!!! I feel like I can’t concentrate until I’ve completed this task or that task and if I start in computer or Fb it’s over! Then the boys come down for breakfast and my morning is over. In the past I have gone outside to study. But even at 7am here in FL it’s just too humid. I am making excuses and need to redirect my priorities!!!!
You are a girl after my own heart! I have the same mindset of “I’ll be able to focus better” etc. and forget checking Facebook for just a quick minute! I’ll be praying for for as you navigate a routine that works for you and draws you closer to our Lord. ☺️
I just attended a webinar last night hosted by Diana Kerr about goal setting and this fits perfectly with a few of mine!!! Love the message Whitney and the verse is going in my “box” of saved verses to encourage and inspire!!
I love printing verse like this out and putting them up on a wall somewhere as a constant reminder. I just did that with this one!
Blessings, Marlene (LGG Encourager)
“Feasting” on the Lord’s Word is the first thing I do in the morning & the very last thing I do at night.
Love that, Lindsey! Thanks for joining us and for stopping by today!
Blessings, Marlene (LGG Encourager)
Wonderful analogy of how bad habits can creep in to destroy our good intentions!
Right?! Loved the analogy too. Such a great way to express this thought. Thanks for stopping by!
Blessings, Marlene (LGG Encourager)
I HAVE to do it first thing in the morning…. I feel like that is when I can give God my best attention with minimal distractions. It’s giving Him my “first fruits” of the day, the best of me. Then I look over what I studied before I go to bed as a reminder. This takes intentionality but is so worth it!!! When my kids were young this did not always work so I had to look at my day and figure out what time would work that day… You just have to figure out what works for you and stick with it!! Thanks for the awesome study LGG!!
Thanks for joining us Carleen! I find morning is best for me too, but it depends on the season like you mentioned. It’s not always possible, but it’s what I shoot for! Love starting my day of like that!
Blessings, Marlene (LGG Encourager)
I am such a Martha! When I see an area of my home that needs to be cleaned, I HAVE to clean it…and with 2 kids under 6 and a husband, there’s ALWAYS going to be cleaning projects! Unfortunately, I let the cleaning take me away from spending as much time as I would like with God in His Word. I really need to flee from the desire to have a perfect home and instead run into His presence.
I’ve fallen victim to that too! I let that take up my time more than it should, when I should be in His word more often. I realized I was trying to overcompensate for something that was missing, something that was wrong. But as we draw closer to Him peace is found and He offers great balance in our hearts, minds, and lives. Praying with you friend!
Blessings, Marlene (LGG Encourager)
Audra,
I struggle in this area as well. One thing that helps me is praying for God to help me have an eternal perspective and see things with his eyes. When I see Him face to face one day, is He really going to care about my dust bunnies? I know that it’s important to be a good steward of what He’s given me, but it’s secondary to being a good daughter that listens to Him and sits at His feet.
I am glad that He gives me a “do-over” each day. Today, I can choose wiser and invest my time in what is eternally important — even if I did mess up yesterday and completely mess up with how I ordered my day.
Blessings,
Lyli, LGG Encourager
Wonderful reminder of Truth so beautifully penned. Thank you for this huge nudge. I will feast on these good words that take me to The Word from now on. Blessings on all of you for this sweet study of Psalms 119.
Thanks for joining us Joan!
Blessings, Marlene (LGG Encourager)
This really spoke to me today and heavily convicted me. I feel like just about everything takes precedence over spending time in His Word. I feel so tired at night when I go to bed that is seems impossible to get up one minute earlier in the mornings! I say that I am going to go to bed earlier to make getting up easier but it just doesn’t happen! Lord, help ME to make this the MAIN priority in my life!
Amen! I’m struggling with exhaustion too, Leah! I want to get up early, I want to take time at night but something comes up and I push it aside. It’s hard to fight it, but through prayer He will give us the strength we need. In Him, we can do anything!
Blessings, Marlene (LGG Encourager)
I am so thankful I have read these comments. I see myself in everyone; busy-ness, Internet, or simple not getting up at the right time before everyone else. This is encouraging to know that I am not alone in this battle of waking early to do the one thing I long for in the morning. Seeking Him in His Word. Carleen, I love the idea of revisiting what you studied in the morning as a reminder of Who He is, and who you are. And the “box” I love this too, Vicki. I am going to push harder in getting up, and out of bed! Jesus is our King, and spending time with Him is so worth it. Beautiful.
Right there with you friend! Sometimes it is nice to know that we aren’t fighting this battle alone! Praying alongside you!
Blessings, Marlene (LGG Encourager)
I always get motivated by the LGG encourager blogs. You do a great job! Like some of the other gals I need to ‘flee’ from the computer and discipline myself to go to devotions first thing while the coffee is perking. It is not so much that my computer time is a sin, but because of it, I’m omitting my time of devotion to God…sins of omission….where is the balance? Establish priorities…lots to think about.
Sharon,
I am so glad you are reading and enjoying the blogs! There is always so much to think about, I too struggle with the balance of life and making God the first thing I seek when I wake. I know if we ask him he will show us the way and give us the discipline, and it’s something I am continually seeking! I will be praying for you as well!
Blessings,
Stacy, LGG Encourager
I am so loving this walk through Psalm 119. i think one thing I have learned about me over the years is that the time I set to study and reflect on His word has fluctuated. when my children were babies it was often after the middle of the night feeding – because I was awake and relaxed… then as preschoolers it was after bedtime…school age children brought early morning time… well, you get the idea. We need to be flexible with our time with God – -to find what works best with our families and our personal time clocks… the whole idea is to make time with God – make it a priority.
Suzy,
That’s such a true statement that we have to be flexible to do what works in our life stages! I am a night person and do find I am more relaxed and alert after my child goes to bed, so right now I do my long quiet time at night and a short “refresh” in the morning! God will bless our time at any time of day 🙂
Blessings,
Stacy, LGG Encourager
I too am distracted by chores. I once heard it said that saying no to something (even something good) is saying yes to something (even better). Also, setting a timer is a good way to prevent me from always checking the time during my fellowship with God. I can fully devote myself to the fellowship knowing it is limited and that I won’t be behind on the things I need to accomplish.
Annathy I love your point to set a timer, that’s a great way to not be distracted by the clock! Praying for you as you seek time with God and say “yes” to what he has for you!
Blessings, Stacy, LGG Encourager
Ahhhh so I literally poured out my beloved sweet tea and filled up my water bottle after reading this post! Ha! Thanks for the reminder, Whitney!!! Our small choices, small steps really do add up and make a big difference!:)
One of the ways I’ve changed up my quite time lately is by going out side….before it gets hot here in Texas…..just being outside reading His Word refuels and encourages me. So funny how a small intentional change can make such a difference. 🙂
Whitney, once again, so beautifully written and inspiring. Here is what I shared with my LGG group this morning…
Good morning ladies!
Today’s article is so good! And so timely, as I have struggled this whole week with being focused on reading God’s Word and shutting out the “to-do” list.
Thanking God for all of you because you keep me motivated (when really, spending time with God and being in His Word, should be reason enough!)
But instead of letting guilt and failure drag me down, I am choosing to see the blessing of a new day. To see the blessing of having a group of women to encourage and be real with! Because I fall short, way short. And I’ve realized that doing a long study (like 8 weeks), gives me the chance to go through the high and low points. The joy filled, on fire for Christ weeks, and the “just want to get through it” weeks.
So I want to encourage us to soldier on. Let go of any guilt, and accept the gift of a new day!
For today
READ
*Psalm 119: 133-136
PRAY/MEDITATE/SOAP
*Psalm 119: 133,134,135
Love and praying for us to finish these last few weeks together!
~Annette
Annette, Thank you for facilitating a group and for sharing your encouraging message! Each day IS a gift and it’s so important to remember that and live each day fully, not hanging on to the guilt of the past. Prayers for you and your group as you finish this study!
Blessings, Stacy, LGG Encourager
Right when I wake up , I think of everyting I have to do and start doing it …If I need to budget I do , if I have to do my school work I do , and on nights I work, I wake up just on time for work . I let my life and the tasks I need to do get in the way . This is something I really need to change.
Miranda,
You have taken the first step to change by saying that you want to! Praying for you as you seek God, I encourage you to ask Him to open time for you to spend, he will show you what he has for you!
Blessings, Stacy, LGG Encourager
I allow myself to become distracted by “time-wasters”. When I could/should be doing something I find myself wasting my time online, either on Facebook or Pinterest, and if I am not doing that then I am playing some game on my phone. I have a small devotional bible that I can easily bring with me to read when I have downtimes and yet…
So, this is something that I not only need to work on but want to work on.
Cindy,
Our world is full of distractions, I think we all struggle with that! Have you ever tried the You Version Bible app? Not only does it give multiple translations of the Bible, there are reading plans and devotionals loaded in (including the LGG study reading plans!) If you put it on your phone you can even set it up to remind you daily to look at any plans you select 🙂 Praying that you will have some good quality time with God this weekend!
Blessings, Stacy, LGG Encourager
OUCH, OUCH, OUCH
These words of this post hit home both physically and spiritually. I find since I don’t work outside my home and my boys are pretty much able to take care of themselves, that distractions of housework, hobbies, SOCIAL MEDIA, etc. are my biggest obstacles. Yet I find myself craving things of God (Bible Study, music, etc.). It’s a choice I have to make every day – whether to eat the french fries or eat healthy. I’m reading through a daily reading Bible and think – OK, I’ve read my sections for today I can go about my day. Ouch, sometimes, that’s like checking off a list of things I need to do. I’ve become more aware of the time I spend in God’s Word {Thank you for this study} and how I use that time I spend in His Word. Turning off the computer and phone is a big help. And, thankfully, after reading some of the other comments, I’m not alone. Praying for all those who are in the same boat as me.
Lorna,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us! You are definitely not alone in this. I am glad you are enjoying the study, are you doing it with a group? I have found that for me, having a group to be accountable to and also to be able to share our insights helps me dig in even more and make my time with God more than a checked box. Thank you for praying for others, I will be praying for you as well!
Blessings, Stacy, LGG Encourager
My problem is bad choosing of food in general. I use to have a house full of kids to cook for at that time I was a single mom with 4. They are grown now and even though im health conscience I still make bad choices and more timessages thwn not its because the lack of finances. I would love to learn how to cook better and the food taate good as well as help me loose weight. I have a lumbar disc issue now and spinal stenosis and I’ve been trying to loose weight because I know it affect my health. I MUST MAKE BETTER CHOICES STARTING NOW. I found a book I’m going to purchase called bod4god and it’s a pastor who was overweight and his story is AWESOME.!! I’m going to connect with the movement he started and let God do a new thing in me.!
Desiree,
I will be praying for you as you set out on this journey of making better choices! God has given us the gift of our bodies and when we seek him he will guide us in caring for them!
Blessings, Stacy, LGG Encourager