I would like to thank a friend who
recently started blogging for reminding me how I’ve neglected mine. This
weekend while I’m taking time to re-balance my center and quiet the devil
trying to knock me off of it, I thought this a good time to revisit my
reflections & devotional writing.
“These words I speak
to you are not mere additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your
standard of living. They are foundation words, words to build a life on.” (Luke 6:47; MSG)
It used to be when I fell out of contact with people that I
was isolating myself. Whether I was too depressed, too caught up in one
addiction or another, or both, generally I isolated because I believed the lies
I told myself that I was nothing more than a waste of space and no one really
cared anyway. Often, my tipping point came as a direct result of misplaced
focus: putting too much of myself into something that was not guaranteed. It
didn’t matter if it was person, place or thing; all were capable of producing
the same results. When faced with the disappointment that ultimately comes from
such misplaced focus, my response was to play the role of both victim and
perpetrator and drive myself deeper into the darkness for awhile.
The problem is that I was building my life on sand.
My Midwestern family often vacationed in cities along the Florida
In my life, however, it took quite a bit longer to figure
out the parallel.
I’ve worked hard to improve and strengthen my faith and my
relationship with God as well as my life. It makes me happy that, though I
might not recall which specific scriptures they are, stuff I’ve read in the
Good Book is what comes to mind often as I go throughout my days. For awhile I
prayed that praying would come easier to me; now I find I pray almost all the
time. My focus is God. I’ve made God my foundation and I’m building my life on
his Truth. It’s a much better life, a sturdier life. God is my rock, my root,
my guaranteed thing.
God doesn’t let me down, God doesn’t disappoint. If I feel like
he has, it probably means I didn’t get something I wanted, or the way I thought
I wanted it. When God is my focus, I can take life as it is, not as I think I’d
like it to be. With all my trust in God, the people, places and things around
me can’t knock me down so easily. With my foundation on God’s solid rock, the
devil can kick me as much as he wants, but he will walk away bruised.
So when I feel more susceptible to attack, it’s time to check
my focus. If my peace is disturbed around certain people or by what I know to
be false perceptions, it’s time to check my focus. If I’m spending more time
thinking about peripheral things than meditating on God’s Word and will for my
life... it’s time to check my focus. What am I looking at here – God or
something else?
The best way to know is to crack the Good Book and see if
I’m immersed in the light and living in truth on God’s firm foundation, or if
I’ve allowed myself to build on some sand.
“These words I speak
to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to
your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on.
If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who
built his house on solid rock. Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado
hit – but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock.
But if you just use my
words in Bible studies and don’t work them into your life, you are like a
stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. When a storm rolled in
and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards.” (Matt. 7:24-27; MSG)
God, I pray that I continue to build my life upon you, that
I may be unshakable, fixed to your truth. When the enemy strikes, help me to
stand firm as I yell the battle cry, “I will not be moved!”
