Spirit & Body

Knowing how to dress in the area where I live challenges me.

At eight in the morning, clouds dump buckets of water. Noontime finds a blinding sun in a clear blue sky. And evening treats us to a thunder and lightning show accompanied by pinging hail. Should I layer a raincoat over a sweater or grab my umbrella and hope for the best? If I wear a coat to keep warm, I get overheated when I enter the grocery store, which makes my shopping task unpleasant. I must toss the coat because it’s a useless interference.

And then I sometimes sort through my closet—determining what doesn’t fit anymore, what would have the fashion police up in arms, or what is plain worn out. They’ve become useless to me and take up space for something new.

I wonder if that’s how Bartimaeus felt about his wardrobe. As a beggar, his coat was probably ragged, smelly, and so full of holes that it would have been easy to get tangled up in, especially since he was blind. But with the potential of meeting Jesus and being healed of blindness, he let go of the covering impeding his movement. It appears, however, that it was more forceful than just dropping it. No. He threw it!

The old habits and activities we wrap ourselves in only entangle us. When Jesus calls us, we must toss aside all that impedes us from following Him. We need the gifts of forgiveness and eternal life that He offers. He will heal our spiritual blindness so we see Him. Then He invites us to express our wants and needs.

Think about what raggedy old habits or thoughts keep you slumped on the side of the road and away from Jesus. Toss them aside and hurry to Him as Bartimaeus did.

(Photo courtesy of pixabay and DanaTentis.)

I feel fat today. Way fatter than yesterday. Oddly enough, the scales say I weigh the same.

We’ve all been there, right? We believe things that aren’t true just because we feel they are. The scales are an objective measure that show me how, in this instance, my feelings can’t be trusted. Had I responded to them, I may have taken drastic steps that were detrimental to my health.

God knows how unreliable our emotions are. He gives us His word as a trustworthy standard to evaluate our thoughts and actions. His wisdom is available to keep us from making bad decisions. It leads us to live our best lives and is 100 percent reliable because He is 100 percent reliable.

Think of steps you can take to grow in wisdom so that you will trust God’s wisdom instead of your own.

(Photo courtesy of pixabay and amfxZ.)

Imagine standing atop a magnificent mountain, taking in the awe-inspiring vista before you. Your gaze falls upon a pair of binoculars lying on the ground. Driven by curiosity, you pick them up and peer through the lenses. Suddenly, the once majestic landscape appears distant and blurred. Colors fade into obscurity, and details become indiscernible.

But you leave the binoculars in place, hoping the view will change. Frustration engulfs you. After a while, you forget you even have the option to remove the binoculars, and you continue to see a depressing landscape and wonder if you will ever see an awe-inspiring vista again.

Suddenly, you are aware someone is beside you, and they urge you to take the binoculars away from your face and look at everything differently. Internally, you argue that nothing will change and that this is just how life is. But an insistent voice prompts you to take the chance.

As you remove the binoculars, you realize the beauty of the view was always there, patiently awaiting your appreciation. In that moment of clarity, you comprehend that shifting your perspective is akin to discarding the binoculars themselves—it grants you an unobstructed view of the world’s genuine splendor with crystal-clear clarity and deep gratitude.

Pain is an inevitable part of our human experience. Whether it is physical, emotional, or spiritual, pain often leaves us feeling shattered and discouraged. However, when we shift our perspective and view pain as an opportunity for growth, we open ourselves to God’s transformative work.

In our moments of weakness, God’s power shines through with perfection. We expose ourselves to fresh possibilities and a more profound understanding of our surroundings by approaching circumstances from a different angle or vantage point.

God’s intervention is an immense force that can turn our pain into abundance. When we surrender our pain to Him, He can heal and restore beyond measure. Through these moments of hardship, we learn to rely on His strength and experience His bountiful grace.

Look for ways to seek God’s intervention amid your pain.

(Photo courtesy of pixabay and Pexels.)

Betty’s mother, Kathleen, had been confined to a nursing home for several months. One day, she suffered a stroke while her family visited her. Shortly after that, a woman from the facility appeared at the door of her room, announced a mail call, and brought in a greeting card from someone in the card ministry at her church.

“My nephew, Kathleen’s grandson, brought the card over,” Betty later wrote in an email to the leader of the church’s card ministry.

“Kneeling by her bed, he read it to Kathleen. She was still conscious but unable to speak or see well. It was the most beautiful and caring card. It included I Peter 5:7, which discusses God’s care for us. The card came at the perfect time, and this was the last card and Scripture she received before losing consciousness. She passed away three days later.”

Betty asked the leader to tell those who faithfully send these encouraging cards each month how much this card meant to her mother.

“I know they made her so happy, even up to the end,” Betty wrote. “And to receive that last one was a gift from God.”

What an effect that simple card had on a family going through a stressful time. And isn’t it wonderful how it arrived in God’s perfect timing? But someone had to send it.

Perhaps we do something regularly to serve others that often feels menial and even tiresome. Many tasks we do for churches and community organizations take time and effort. We may wonder if anyone notices or appreciates our efforts. We may even think our work has little impact.

A word of thanks for what we do may never come. At that point, we must decide whether we will be faithful to the little things.

“I long to accomplish a great and noble task,” Helen Keller said, “but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble.”

Paul encouraged the early Christians to resist the temptation to get tired and give up.

Press forward with your responsibilities, even if they sometimes seem inconsequential. You may not always know the results of your efforts, but God says, “Your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

(Photo courtesy of pixabay and StartupStockPhotos.)

Per my yearly regimen, I recently had my DEXA bone scan.

Even with my aging and family history, I was pretty confident my results would fall in the normal range. After all, I faithfully took healthy doses of natural calcium supplements, especially since I had dipped to the osteoporosis level a few years back.

The next scan following that bad test revealed I had returned to a better level and no longer had osteoporosis. Whew! After a couple of years, I decided I could cut back on my calcium supplements—not stop them, mind you, just lower my intake a bit. After all, it’s okay to play doctor for myself, right? I know what I’m doing.

Imagine my surprise when I got the less-than-desirable test results back in my patient portal with a message from my provider: You are at the osteopenia level. Your spine bone density has declined. We can discuss the next steps at your annual appointment.

That day, I humbly increased my calcium supplements to the necessary level. I now humbly anticipate my annual checkup for the “next steps.” I want to have healthy bones. My skeletal system supports my body. It gives me shape, allows movement, makes blood cells, protects my organs, and stores minerals.

I started thinking about what the wise teacher Solomon wrote about bones: “A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.”

God created joy, delight, and humor as vital parts of our lives. Medical studies confirm what King Solomon said. Laughter and enjoyment can increase the time we live. I’ve never heard of any negative side effects from laughter.

A merry heart in the Lord is everlasting and can bring a bounce to our steps a smile to our face, and refreshing health to our bones. I, for one, do not wish to have dry bones. Think of some steps you can take to put away a killjoy atmosphere and instead put on the joy of the Lord.

(Photo courtesy of pixabay and ulleo.)