Maybe Tomorrow

In finishing the book Made to Crave (you thought I quit didn't you?) I've learned so many things, I have so many thoughts to share.  

The verse that has been stuck in my head throughout this entire journey is below.

"Everything is permissible for me," but not everything is helpful. "Everything is permissible for me," but I will not be brought under the control of anything. 1 Corinthians 6:12

I have freedom to do what I want, but with that freedom comes consequences.  

Some actions are not in themselves sinful.  For example food, sex, and money, these are all good things--but they can control our lives and lead us away from God if we are not focused first and foremost on Him.  These things that were meant to be blessings from God can lead to gluttony, pornography, greed, and addiction in one form or another.  

I don't know what your "addiction" is, but I know without a doubt what your craving is.  You are craving your Creator--you were created to!  That void, that emptiness that you feel, that longing for something more, is a longing for God! 

Regardless of who you are, where you are, or whether you say you believe in Him or not, until you surrender to His sweet love you will never know the joy He has for you.  

Oh, you can fake it for awhile, you can even fool yourself (which by the way is exactly what satan wants you to do) but you will never have peace until you receive Jesus. 

Oh, I'll start my diet Monday, I'll stop smoking Monday, I'll start going to church next Sunday.  No you won't.  You don't even believe that.  You said the same thing last week, you said the same thing yesterday, what are you waiting for? You don't even have tomorrow promised to you! (Luke 12:20) 

The journey of reading this book (which is filled with Scriptures) made me uncover and expose the excuses in my life.  The selfishness and self righteousness.  It's not pretty.  I need a lot of work.  There's lots of hurts that have been covered up and filled with everything but the love of Christ.  

You see this book isn't just about food.  It's about unhealthy cravings, about replacing your relationship with Jesus Christ for something much less valuable and a counterfeit of what you really need.  

Maybe food is not your problem.  Maybe when you have a bad day you don't reach for a bowl of ice cream like I do--fine-what is it then?  What is stopping you from living out your full potential for Jesus Christ?  We can get real or we can keep making excuses.  

I read in a magazine the other day that 50% of professed Christians don't even attend church.  I don't even understand that statistic!  Why?  Why don't they go?  

Life is hard.  We were never told it would be easy.  In fact, if you're a believer--you were told the exact opposite.  

 "I've told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I've conquered the world."John 16:33--The Message 

He has conquered THE WORLD, and I can't even conquer my addiction to sugar.  He is so much greater than everything else this world has to offer.  

While we are here, shouldn't we at least put forth the effort to represent Him well?  

I don't know what that looks like in your life.  I don't know what your struggles are.  But I know you can't do it alone--and you don't have to.  He has given us Himself, and each other. 

This collection of my jumbled thoughts may mean nothing to you.  But maybe, just maybe you will learn that like me--you don't always live abundantly--and maybe worse than that--you don't seem to care.  

God expose the hurts, empty us of anything not of you, and fill us with your love and power. 

Amen.