Why Justify?
I was making my routine trip to McDonald’s the other morning when it dawned on me that I didn’t eat breakfast before I left the house. Rather than placing my normal order – a diet coke, I added a cinnamon melt, also. I pulled on through and then pulled into a parking place so that I could quickly chow down because I basically had 5 minutes.
As I sat in the car, I thought about the mixed messages I was sending my body with what I was putting into it – diet coke (no calories) and then a container of something that was full of calories. On top of that, I was shoving it all in at warp speed. I think I remembered to chew, but I’m not sure. Ha-ha. I’ve always justified eating ‘whatever’ as long as I had a diet drink with it. Although neither was very healthy, at least one didn’t contain those dreaded calories. Justify, justify, justify. Isn’t that so easy to do with everything in life?
Well, I only had a few minutes before I needed to head to work, but my breakfast made me think about something even more important – my spiritual diet. Although I go to church, attend a Bible study, and have devotions at home, I still allow so much junk to influence my thoughts, consume my heart, and control my emotions and actions. On top of that, I often times try to shove the ‘good’ stuff in – just like my breakfast!
All of a sudden, all of these questions popped into my mind. What am I ‘consuming’ in order to have a strong and healthy spiritual life? Am I continuing my pattern and sending my heart and soul (and others) mixed messages? Am I taking time to properly chew it all up so that I will actually retain it? Either I love the Lord with all my heart – or I don’t. What message am I sending? So much to think about….
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Proverbs 4:23
“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10
Live-Write 
That was a really good analogy. We must guard what we put in our heart.
A Servant
Thank you. Sometimes we learn it the hard way. That’s the way it is for me, at least!
Really good food-for-thought analogy! So true for all of us, I think… ❤
Thank you. Funny how God speaks in the least expected ways. He is amazing.
Amen, Sister. Chewing on the word is much better diet.
Glad you read it and agreed!:-)