As years rush by, my hair is becoming grayer, my hairline is going higher, and I enjoy sleeping in more (ok that part is a lie, I’ve always enjoyed sleeping in lol). There are several physical changes that occur to each of us as life speeds by, but these are not the changes I want to focus on. The specific changes I am going to mention do not have to do with your age, position, geographical location, or how many children you have. Give me with a few minutes of your time to walk through some body changes that each one of us should honestly consider:
- Remove the Warts
If you’re a worry wart, remove them because they’re both unpleasant and harmful. Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do yet does not allow you to progress. God lays it out clearly by saying you can pray or faint (Luke 18:1). You can either faint because you worry, or you can take it to God in prayer. To pray is to place that thought in God’s hands, and to worry is to pry it out of His hands and attempt to carry it alone. God’s solution is to cast it upon Him (1 Peter 5:7) instead of worrying about it. Remove those worry warts.
- Have Bone Surgery
There’s no room for a lazy bone in a Christian’s body. Get rid of it before it paralyzes and destroys you. It’s easy to dwell on how a minister is worthy of double honor (1 Timothy 5:17), but the other side is that God says if you don’t work, you shouldn’t eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10). The wise king Solomon advised to go to the ant and consider her ways (Proverbs 6:6-8). The diligent worker accomplishes much, but laziness will get you nothing (Proverbs 13:4).
- Sew Up the Lips
The tongue is a small member of the body, but it causes great destruction (James 3:5). If you are tempted to gossip, lie, criticize, mock, or slander, you should sew up your lips or learn to harness that unruly tongue. If someone believes they are religious yet cannot control the tongue, they’re deceiving themself and their religion is vain (James 1:27).
A fool utters all his mind while a wise man “keepeth it in till afterwards.” (Proverbs 29:11). You don’t have to say everything you think, in fact, it would best that you filter your thoughts before opening your mouth. Check your mouth, and sew up the lips if needed.
- Adjust the Eyes
If your eyes are causing you to run after ungodly pleasures, or to yield to temptations, get your eyes adjusted. Jesus said if your eyes are causing you to stumble, pluck them out (Matthew 5:28-29; 18:9). Time to refocus back on God and adjust those eyes before they cause you to fall.
- Strengthen the Heart
Just as fatty foods could clog arteries and eventually kill you, so the weights and wickedness of this world will spiritually destroy your heart. Stand guard from bitterness, anger, disbelief, discouragement, and temptation.
According to Proverbs 4:23, all the issues of life come from the heart, therefore we’re exhorted to guard it with all diligence. Guarding means to protect, keep watch over, keep an eye on, defend, and safeguard. God wants His children to protect their hearts with diligence, which is careful and persistent work or effort.
Strengthen your heart so you can survive the spiritual war and stay focused on Christ.
Here to Serve,
Jeffrey Bush