Without thinking, I bent over to pick up the package on my porch. That’s when I felt the stabbing pain in my back.
Doctors had warned me to change my habits so my damaged disc could heal. I knew to bend my knees, not my back, but I had mindlessly reverted to my old ways. I had prayed for God to heal my back. Now, I uttered a different prayer and asked Him to help me pay attention. God answered by reminding me that my greatest need was not for physical healing, but for spiritual healing—healing that would require paying careful attention to my thoughts, words, and actions.
The writer of Hebrews tells us to pay close attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from God’s teachings. Not an intentional turning away, but a mindless drifting away. And that is exactly how the enemy traps me—distracting me so that I travel mindlessly through the day, unaware of my careless words, the hurting person in my path, or the not-so-good decisions made in haste. These old ways of doing life—pursuing my agenda and failing to pay attention—set me up for the pain of regret.
My physical therapist prescribed daily exercises to gently push the tissue around my disc into place, supporting healthy alignment of my spine. Doing these exercises each morning increases my mindfulness throughout the day.
In the same way, spending time each day reading God’s Word and listening to Him gently aligns my perspective with His. Doing so reminds me His goal is for me to reflect His image. It also gives my weary soul an opportunity to heal.
By living intentionally and paying attention to what God has said, we can avoid painful regrets and be transformed into His image.
If you have places in your life that ache, ask the Lord what He is trying to accomplish through your circumstances, and then pay attention.
(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)
(For more devotions, visit Christian Devotions.)
Ann Skalaski is the wife of a football coach. She has five children and two precious grandsons. Football has taken their family many places, and the frequent moves have allowed her to experience the wonder of God’s nearness and the beautiful gift of the Body of Christ. She has served as a mentor mom for MOPS International in three different churches and continues to serve on the Devotion Writing Team at a former church.