Not Always Easy
I will be honest with you: staying faithful to God is not always an easy feat for me. I am stubborn & selfish & often automatically think I have things figured out already my way.
And when I am distracted by something “shiny” or feel the least bit tired, the willingness to be faithful in my submission to God drops quite a bit.
I often forget to pray for help & instead either quit or try my own way until I wear myself down & want to quit because I like instant gratification.
… Let’s just say that God has had to show me a lot of grace & exercise much patience with me.
An Opening for Sin
Whenever I have a need, I immediately want to see it fixed to my satisfaction—emphasis on immediately.
It is pretty common for me to face temptation or face some sort of hardship, pray for help, not see it made easy for me to resist (by removing it altogether, because I don’t want to have to choose to obey when temptation is calling me), & then blame God when I give in.
Or, I go to God for help but then go to my own Plan B or Plan C pretty quickly, not trusting God enough to wait on Him & rest in Him.
This is also why sin is such a temptation for me, because Satan always seems to package it as the shiny quick fix to all of my problems.
Make Sure to Read the Fine Print
But there is always fine print to sin. That’s why God commands us to avoid it, because while it seems justifiable & safe & the perfect answer… it always comes back to bite you… it always has consequences you’re not always aware of when you dive into those sins.
So, being aware of this fact, I know even more how important it is to stay faithful & submit to God’s commands (aka God’s way).
And, you would think this would be motivation enough to stick to God’s ways, but that instant gratification addiction is strong with me. I want it to be made easy for me to follow & obey God.
I Want It Easy
It takes a lot for me to go from knowing what I need to do, seeing an obstacle that makes it less than appealing to follow through, to stopping to pray for help from God versus quitting & running the opposite direction toward something easier or more appealing.
I get stuck in the lazy &/or anxiety trap way too often.
I get paralyzed with overwhelm or with a pull toward an easier-seeming way & head straight there.
And I often turn to the television, or a tablet, or something else where I can engulf my mind into something that doesn’t cause me anxiety, numbing everything else out because it just seems easier… versus asking God to help me push through it—trusting Him for victory.
Our Good God Is a God of VICTORY
But, what I need to learn to do is to realize that no matter how strong the pull to something else may seem & no matter how appealing that instant gratification promises (lies) to be… I need to stop giving in… I need to fall to my knees if need be. And I need to cry out to God for help.
And so, this has been something I have been trying to intentionally be aware of lately, asking God to help me see when I am coveting instant gratification over trusting in Him—because God is Good & God is a God of VICTORY.
My Prayers Against Giving In
I have been praying something like this, “God, please help me! I don’t know how to handle this or how to follow through on this, so I just want to run toward whatever feels easier & more instantly gratifying. And I know You have an answer & You always have a plan & I can always trust You in everything, but I often fold & turn to whatever seems quicker, shinier, or easier. Please help me to stop compromising at every other turn. Help me lean into You more. Help me to be aware of the times I am seeking ease more than a peace in You. Help me know when I am compromising for something less than what You have to offer me out of Your lavishing love for me. I want to honor You. You deserve my full honor & respect. You are faithful even when I am not. Thank You for continuing with me, for giving me grace, for showing me patience…. Thank You for never giving up on me. You are so Good… all the time. I love You because You loved me first. Thank You. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.”
Staying Faithful-Without Instant Gratification
So, if you’re with me on this… struggling to stay faithful when instant gratification seems to sparkle & shine for your time & attention, determine to stop & ask God for help trusting Him in everything big & small.
Shine hope by turning to God every time it’s hard to stay faithful to His way & by asking for His help in saying, “NO” to those shiny instant gratification opportunities. Staying faithful-without instant gratification-can seem impossibly hard sometimes, but with God, nothing is impossible.
“Jesus looked at them & said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”(Matthew 19:26)
He’s always worth it, 100%.
Coming Next Week
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Fashion as a Force for GOOD:
Each week, I feature an item that is changing lives for women around the world. These hand-crafted pieces are offering job creation opportunities for women artisans in impoverished nations all around the world! Check out this week’s featured beauty!!
Silver Medallion Necklace
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In India, poverty often leads to exploitation of vulnerable Artisans in sweatshops. Every purchase provides these Artisans with fair wages, access to healthcare, education for their children, & care for elderly family members.
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