Happy Friday!
I've been thinking about how many apps we pay for (Disney, Spotify, Beachbody, Readwise, Brain.fm etc) realizing that they all add up on the monthly budget and now as I looked at yet another app that would be useful, I really began to weigh their value and this urge for "just one more."
That phrase, "just one more" can happen a lot, one more chocolate, one more episode, one more book...it's "just" one, right?
Growing a little convicted about my perceived "need" for things and my response to them. One more thing may not be a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but it begs the question of when is enough and can I wait. In a culture of immediate gratification, most things we want are just a click away and like stopping on the freeway is a challenge, if not impossible, so is putting a pause on the desires of our heart - our practice of self-denial.
This also forms our spiritual life, the way we want our prayers answered, how we expect the Lord to meet us within the allotted time we've given Him, we're moving at highway speed with other cars on our tail, and if everyone has it, it must be good, we've got to keep up and keep going.
But JT English reminds us, "according to Jesus, discipleship is not about self-actualization or self-preservation; it is about self-denial." The very essence of growing in Christ is dependent on our ability to go against the selfish desires of our hearts and the ways of our culture, to live as "other" for the glory of God and the good of others.
The things we want aren't always bad. It's not so much about the things as it is about our clinging to them. So, here's an encouragement today to consider if there's things in life you need to say "no" or "wait" to, so that your heart's song of worship will be of Him and not the world.
This Week in Articles
Don't wait for Jan 1 to build new habits! Why not start this weekend with daylight savings?
Find practical advice here when you're facing challenges in your marriage.
"In God’s kindness, I have walked with him for more than half that time. Countless hours of tears, prayers, worship, and therapy have stopped that fearful pit in my stomach from being such a constant companion. But every once in a while, it resurfaces."
Check out the Family Discipleship Podcast, this episode is an interview with Jen Wilkin on raising out kids to be "other."
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