Our Battles Part 2

Well, yesterday I confronted one of my bad habits...drinking cola products on a daily basis.  I have avoided doing this for ... like... ever!  I know it's not such a big deal.  And it's not, really, but it is a struggle for me because I just don't want to give it up.  It controls me.  I have walked in the cold and snow to several building in search of Pepsi when the vending machine near our office doesn't work.  I have not been able to fight this habit because I haven't wanted to.  I have allowed it to control me for the most part of my life.  And, as we know, anything that has control over us that is not God, becomes an idol.  I don't want to be under the yoke of an idol.  I want to enjoy the freedom that Christ sacrificed so much to give me.  So, big or small, seemingly insignificant and harmless or deadly damaging, anything that we cannot just drop and give up becomes a battle... a battle for control... a battle for the driver seat, a seat that must only be occupied by Jesus.

That's why yesterday was such a big step for me.  I tried to be obedient and take the advice from Holley Gerth in her book, You're Going to Be Okay, where she says that we need to get God involved in our struggles, not only our spiritual ones, but also our material and physical battles since we are both, spiritual as well as physical beings...and, since He created both sides; He needs to be Lord over both too.

So, with a simple prayer, I invited God to be Lord over my bad habit:  Lord, please, give me what I need in order to stay away from Pepsi today.  Give me the strength, today.

I figured, I'd also better be obedient to Jesus' command to not worry about the future, but about today only:  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6: 34)

So I prayed for grace for the moment.  Leave the grand plans to God.  Worry about today.  If I slip tomorrow, I'll worry about it then.  I know that we serve a Merciful Father, and His Grace is sufficient for every day, and so is His forgiveness.  After all, if Jesus asks us to forgive seventy times seven (Matthew 18: 22), to us, lowly sinners...how much more would He forgive us, right?

I know...I should not make light out of Christ's Words; I'm just trying to believe His them, and trust that He's got me on the Palm of His Hands.  I'm trying to assimilate the fact that He loves me; that I'm the apple of His eye.  I am trying to get rid of the guilt that snares and entangles my heart, keeping me apart from His presence.  I'm trying to seek Him first and keep my eyes on Him.

That's why, this morning, I said the same prayer I said yesterday:  Lord, please, give me what I need in order to stay away from Pepsi today.  Give me the strength, today.

And I will say it again tomorrow and the next day, and the next day...until the petition becomes thanksgiving!

I trust You, Lord.  And in You, I will rejoice!