Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Skipping Breakfast | feeding the spirit

Too often, I skip breakfast.

I'm rushing to get out the door and make it to my 8 o'clock class on time. 

I'm throwing on clothes, cleaning up if I happened to have barn chores earlier, getting my hair out of my face, sometimes applying make up, making sure my bag is packed, and (usually) putting a lunch together if I even have time for that. 

Coffee! -- I just need coffee!

And as I'm driving up the road, I turn on my Christian music and try to talk to God before I get to the busy village and my attention is torn away from Him. 

This is my typical morning. 

Rushed, crazy, jumbled. For what? I realize that, ultimately, the majority of my time is dedicated to my outward appearance, isn't it.

I don't eat breakfast.

I don't feed on the Word.

I go through my day super hungry.

And yes, the physical part is taken care of at lunch time.

But my Spirit starves. Honestly, I think I feel those hunger pangs more sharply than I feel the other. 

Just this past week on a Monday morning, I got to class and took my place. There were a handful of us there, waiting on the professor. The click of heals came echoing down the hall and a woman appeared in the doorway to inform us that he was out today. 

Well-- an unexpected gift of 75 minutes was mine to do with as I pleased. And driven by hunger, I found myself seeking out a secluded window seat at a desk behind the library shelves...

Prayer, and His word, and journaling, and music flowed freely. I had time to myself with my Father. And oh what an impact it had on the rest of my day!

I sat there and did not want to leave. 

When I finally did, I just wanted to go and smile at people, and to serve them with a Heart of Love in any way the Lord instructed.

My focus had been realigned. 

This was how I wished it could be every day. (And why isn't it?)

I love when "making time for God" goes from being a challenge to being an addiction. At first it is hard to get to that place-- but once you do, you can't drag yourself away! You just want more. And it becomes your priority. 

"Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your Spiritual fervor, serving the Lord." (Romans 12:11 NIV)

We are not striving to remain zealous or to be passionate for passion's own sake.  Our passion and zeal comes from a  deep understanding of the AMAZING things Jesus has done, and for the great calling He has for us!

Passion? We shouldn't be able to help ourselves. 

Sometimes, I'm really not that excited. I lose the joy of my spiritual fervor, because I stop feeding it. 

And I'm not talking about feelings-- the floaty, excited feeling similar to falling in love that you probably experienced when you first came to know Christ-- that initial euphoria will fade, because it is only a chemical reaction in the brain. 

No, I'm talking about something far more real. I mean that knowing of God's unshakable peace, His inherent joy that cannot be suppressed. Because the deeper you delve, and the more you steep yourself in Him with a heart hungry to know and willing to receive, your Spirit will ignite. 

You're a candle. Without oxygen you cannot help but burn out. Your Spirit needs the Word, or it is going to be suffocated. Your mind will run rampant with the fleshly nature if it is not filled with His Truth.

Battling our sinful selves is hard enough without neglecting our daily meals and completely discarding the armor with which we were supplied. When I deny myself the very balm my Spirit knows I need, yet my mind doesn't feel like putting effort toward... I've signed my own death sentence. 

NEVER underestimate the vitality of the Word. 
Put your Spirit first.

I've been trying so hard lately to put those two selves into correct perspective-- My spirit and my soul, the supernatural versus the natural. I know that I am supposed to shed the old self and put on the new self. I keep asking God to help me walk in the Spirit instead of falling to the flesh. And I've been so discouraged because I've felt like it just isn't happening. 

But honestly, which self have I been feeding?

How can I expect to live and thrive by the Spirit, if I consistently put the flesh first?
Of course the flesh is going to be healthier, stronger, and dominant! 

I'm finally realizing the source of my daily problems. 

But praise be to God for revelation, for restoration, and for everlasting Grace-- He always lifts me up, sets my feet upon a rock, and leads me forward again. 

Jesus, I Love You.

Hannah Scarlett Smith, it's time to put things in their correct place. I'm tired of returning to the Spiritual milk. It's time to mature in my faith, and to move on to meat. Amen.


8 comments:

  1. I now have a better understanding of why believers are to encourage one another and go through things together. It's because there's so much that we think we're going through on our own. When in reality we all experience the same hunger pains and fight the same battles, just in different forms at different times. Just knowing that we're both are struggling with putting God first and really want to, shows me that we both are in the same valley in our love relationship with our lover right now.
    Hannah, I love the times we get to talk together and just be open and honest about our struggles. Talking with you has helped me open up and become more willing to rejoice in my weakness' so Christ's strength can be manifested in me.

    Thank you for exposing your heart in such a way that brings glory to God.

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    1. The best part is that He lifts us right up and out so quickly! Often it just takes surrender. We can try and try to do things by our own strength, but we really don't get anywhere meaningful if we aren't letting Him be the strength and the leading, driving force. I rely way too much on what *I* can do, when I need to fall back into His arms.
      I am so very glad for our talks, Rachel, and appreciate your genuineness and pure hearted outlook more than I can say. Love you much!

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  2. Thank you for posting this Hannah - Such an important reminder for me.
    How can we go to the battle if we havent fed our spirit? living in this world there are so many distractions for us to be close with our God but I'm glad that you sensed it clearly.
    Please keep writing this kind of things!

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    1. Thank you so very much for making the time to read my blog, Delvalina! It really uplifts me when I know that something I was able to write spoke to someone else. Thank God!
      I'll keep writing as I'm led, and I definitely look forward to reading more on your lovely blog! Your posts are always so wonderful and heartfelt.

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  3. I can relate to this so much! I love how you were able to express your heart in this!

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  4. thanks for the great reminder about the need to feed our spirit before anything else

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  5. Absolutely true, and yes, we all struggle with the stuff that's right in front of us to do, or to chose to be still with God and soak Him in. Recently, God spoke to me during prayer time and asked me to write a bible study. I am so unsure and insecure about it. In the moment, I said God, you're going to have to tell me the subject and title because... I just have no idea... and without a doubt He is faithful! He said to me "It's about Surrender and the title is to be "The Power of Surrender".....leave it to God to ask me to do something I can't do so He can shine... :)

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    1. Your comment made me smile. :)
      I have complete faith that He will guide and speak through you in this project! And you will absolutely be blessed in learning so much yourself, as you put together this study-- learning things you didn't know before, either!

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Colossians 4:6 (AMP)
Let your speech at all times be gracious and pleasant, seasoned with salt, so that you will know how to answer each one [who questions you].