My Journey...............................

Happy Tuesday, (now Wednesday and almost Thursday) everyone! Sometimes I laugh when I think about how this blog is just really a journey of what God is teaching me in my own private (and very often disfunctional) thought life. However, I have to believe that it is still worth sharing,

a. because I can't be the only person on earth struggling with some of this stuff and
b. because the Holy Spirit is the One who is teaching me and He is SO GOOD!

So, without further adu (how on earth do you spell that?), let me take you a little further on my journey. I shared with you on the last post about how God was showing me two gaping sins in my life. One of idolotry and the other a lack of contentment. I ended the post with a statement that has haunted me (that's why I used it, accountablity is always a good thing). Now that the scales have fallen off and I have full awareness of that sin; I must attack it! So I thought now was a good time to share a "thus far" post to let you know how, in God's great grace, things are changing. I have even been taking notes as He reveals things to me just to share with you!

One more huge clarification, it is good to be working on sins that don't involve horrific and shameful details, but know those battles have been faught and they were won with this same strategy. So either way, this will hopefully be a blessing to any season you are in! Also I am seeing more and more that the intial reality of sin is painful, but once you curve the other way, the journey actually becomes a great blessing!

Step one: God told me not to meditate on what it is that I am coveting (feeling entitled to, making an idol or not being content without,how ever the heck you want to word it). So for me personally, during this season, that is mainly a house. And even just to clarify, it isn't a big fancy house that I am wanting, it is more along the lines of a house of my own with cute paint and my fun towels. I am pretty sure I had cute bathroom towels somewhere, once upon a time, oh shoot, refocus! One of Jeremy and I's most favorite past times is "house shopping" online. Obviously, we are not in the market for a house right now so although NO ONE would say that it was a sin for us to dream and look, FOR ME PERSONALLY, God is just showing me during this season, that is something I need to cut out. Staring often at your idol is never a good thing. So I have deleted the favorites and made it several days now and what da you know........it's helping!
Ok, so you fill in your blank here. I need to stop obsessing over ________________!

Step Two: Looking up scripture, listening to sermons, reading books (whatever), just meditating on what God says about the topic where I am struggling (the opposite of Step 1). God brought me back to a sermon that I had actually heard before, but this time He politely told me to dive in, take notes, and really DO what the man says! (a novel idea, I know). So for me, that was the sermon below and I will spare you the million notes that I took as fast as my little hand could write. I will only give you one quick quote.
"Don't tell me what you believe, show me how you live!" DANG
By all means, send me your struggle and I will have a book (or a hundred) and an equal number of sermons to occompany!
http://www.lifechurch.tv/message-archive/watch/five-easy-steps/4

Step Three: Take it one situation at a time. For me, a day at a time is personally a bit overwhelming. God reminded me to break it down to a sitation at a time. Like my huge desire to be a submissive (not naggy) wife is overwhelming, but if I just partner with the Holy Spirit and keep my mouth shut when He says and other useful tips, I feel like the sin can be tackled. For this problem specifically, I am not worrying about all the logistics of Cross' 2nd Birthday being just so so. I am resisting looking at houses as I said, I am getting excited about Christmas for the REAL reason it is celebrated. You get the point!
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you each and every time you are being tempted and have the opportunity to do the right or the wrong thing!

And finally (for now), Step Four: (and avoid the corny rhyme) remember we are at war! I was talking with a dear friend the other day about how we so often forget that satan really is waging a war against us and so often we fight like big sissies! God is telling me to memorize some scripture and when this sin tries to raise it's ugly head I need to smash it with the Word. For me that is

1 Tim 6:6-8 Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing we will be content with that!

and

Phil 3:7-8 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.

What would be two for you, for your specific battle with sin?

I am going to leave you with a reality the Lord gave me about personal revival:
"Even on earth and after Jesus, God still refuses to bless fully in the midst of sin!"

K